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Media Gallery

Bilateral airspace infiltrates on chest radiograph film secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome that resulted in respiratory failure.
Extensive left-lung pneumonia caused respiratory failure; the mechanism of hypoxia is intrapulmonary shunting.
A 44-year-old woman developed acute respiratory failure and diffuse bilateral infiltrates. She met the clinical criteria for the diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome. In this case, the likely cause was urosepsis.
This patient developed acute respiratory failure that turned out to be the initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus. The lung pathology evidence of diffuse alveolar damage is the characteristic lesion of acute lupus pneumonitis.
A Bilevel positive airway pressure support machine is shown here. This could be used in spontaneous mode or timed mode (backup rate could be set).
Headgear and full face mask commonly are used as the interface for noninvasive ventilatory support.
Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) and inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) settings are shown. IPAP or expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) and frequency can be preset.
Noninvasive ventilation with bilevel positive airway pressure for acute respiratory failure secondary to exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Wave forms of a volume-targeted ventilator: Pressure, flow, and volume waveforms are shown with square-wave flow pattern. A is baseline, B is increase in tidal volume, C is reduced lung compliance, and D is increase in flow rate. All 3 settings lead to increase in peak airway pressures. Adapted from Spearman CB et al.
The cause of respiratory failure may be suggested by spirometry.
A 65-year-old man developed chronic respiratory failure secondary to usual interstitial pneumonitis. Loss of normal architecture is seen upon biopsy. Also seen are varying degrees of inflammation and fibrosis.
Lung biopsy from a 32-year-old woman who developed fever, diffuse infiltrates seen on chest radiograph, and acute respiratory failure. The lung biopsy shows acute eosinophilic pneumonitis; bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage also may have helped reveal the diagnosis.
Lung biopsy on this patient with acute respiratory failure and diffuse pulmonary infiltrates helped yield the diagnosis of pulmonary edema. Therefore, cardiogenic pulmonary edema should be excluded as the cause of respiratory failure prior to considering lung biopsy.
Pressure-volume curve of a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on mechanical ventilation can be constructed. The lower and the upper ends of the curve are flat, and the central portion is straight (where the lungs are most compliant). For optimal mechanical ventilation, patients with ARDS should be kept between the inflection and the deflection point.
Surgical lung biopsy was performed in the patient described in Image 3. The histology shows features of diffuse alveolar damage, including epithelial injury, hyperplastic type II pneumocytes, and hyaline membranes.

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Author

Ata Murat Kaynar, MD Associate Professor, Departments of Critical Care Medicine and Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Ata Murat Kaynar, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Chest Physicians, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Sat Sharma, MD, FRCPC Professor and Head, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine; Site Director, Respiratory Medicine, St Boniface General Hospital, Canada

Sat Sharma, MD, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American Thoracic Society, Canadian Medical Association, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Royal Society of Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine, World Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Michael R Pinsky, MD, CM, Dr(HC), FCCP, FAPS, MCCM Professor of Critical Care Medicine, Bioengineering, Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical and Translational Science and Anesthesiology, Vice-Chair of Academic Affairs, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Michael R Pinsky, MD, CM, Dr(HC), FCCP, FAPS, MCCM is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Critical Care Medicine, American Thoracic Society, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine

Disclosure: Received income in an amount equal to or greater than $250 from: Baxter Medical, Exostat, LiDCO<br/>Received honoraria from LiDCO Ltd for consulting; Received intellectual property rights from iNTELOMED.

Acknowledgements

Cory Franklin, MD Professor, Department of Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science; Director, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Cook County Hospital

Cory Franklin, MD is a member of the following medical societies: New York Academy of Sciences and Society of Critical Care Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Harold L Manning, MD Professor, Departments of Medicine, Anesthesiology and Physiology, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School

Harold L Manning, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, and American Thoracic Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

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