Hazard report. Unfamiliarity with differences in the way ventilators set pressure-control values may lead to lung injuries

Abstract

Variations in ventilator designs may result in different inspiratory pressures being delivered at seemingly identical settings during delivery of pressure-controlled breaths. Because a lack of familiarity with these design variations may lead to the setting of excessive pressures that could result in lung injuries, staff need to be trained to understand how the units they use work.