Effects of Asymmetric Airway Inertance on Mean Lung Volume During High Frequency Ventilation(HFV)

A possible asymmetry in airway inertance was modeled based on previously reported radiographic visualization data of the airway wall fluctuation in intact dogs. Effects of asymmetric Inertance on mean lung volume during high frequency ventilation (HFV) were evaluated in terms of mean inertive pressure drop across the airways. It was found that a negligible inertlve pressure drop was expected ($<1{\;}cmH_20$) in normal subjects, while a sig- nificant rise in mean alveolar pressure compared to mean mouth pressure by approximately $3{\;}cmH_20$ was resulted for about 40% airway fluctuation representing bronchoconstriction state by Histamine induction. These results demonstrate that asymmetric Inertance could lead patients with airway diseases to a significant lung hyperinflation (LHI), and bronchodilation treatment is recommended prior to applying HFV to prevent those patients from a possible barotrauma.