https://www.journalmechanicalventilation.com/rapid-review-of-patient-ventilator-dyssynchrony/

Abstract

Patient-Ventilator Dyssynchrony (PVD) is often described as a patient “fighting” the ventilator. In fact, there are many forms of dyssynchrony some of which can very subtle. If unrecognized early, dyssynchrony can evoke patient discomfort, increase incidence of lung injury, lead to oversedation, and lengthen duration of mechanical ventilation. Since start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many clinicians without critical care experience have been compelled to manage patients requiring mechanical ventilation. Many academic centers, hospital systems, and physician groups have attempted to provide educational material in efforts to prepare clinicians on how to operate a ventilator. During this frenzied time, very few resources have been made available to clinicians to rapidly recognize ventilator dyssynchrony as it occurs when taking care of these patients. The figures presented in this article depict dyssynchrony in Volume Control Ventilation (VCV) with a decelerating ramp of flow and are hand drawn. While they may not perfectly represent waveforms seen on ventilators, the patterns shown and described below will be similar.