Medicine
Pathophysiology of ARDS and Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury
Quick fact
ARDS has a mortality rate of 30-40% and the only proven therapy is protective mechanical ventilation, which paradoxically uses low tidal volumes that may appear 'under-ventilating' but reduce lung injury.
Why this is interesting
A ventilator that keeps a patient alive can also cause fatal lung damage—so how do doctors balance the two?