Hi there - yes, this is a safe intrathoracic pressure as a safety release. We wouldn't recommend ventilating every breath to this pressure, but as it is designed as a safety feature - hopefully, the accidentally closed APL valve is spotted before it releases anyway, but it is a great backup! Some breathing systems won't open until 60cmH2O. Additionally, there are instances where high pressures are used in patients without long-term effects, such as during recruitment manoeuvres. Pressures used to reinflate collapsed lungs are as high as 40cmH2O. It isn't so much the pressure that is dangerous (barotrauma) it is the volume that the lungs stretch to (volutrauma). Experimentally, a pressure of 80-140cmH2O was required to rupture lungs when they are held within a bony thorax. In summary - it will be OK as a safety feature. Thanks, Courtney - Clinical Educator in Anaesthesia
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Amazing!
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Is 28 - 35 cm of H2O a safe pressure for the patient to endure before valve releases? TIA.
Hi there - yes, this is a safe intrathoracic pressure as a safety release.
We wouldn't recommend ventilating every breath to this pressure, but as it is designed as a safety feature - hopefully, the accidentally closed APL valve is spotted before it releases anyway, but it is a great backup! Some breathing systems won't open until 60cmH2O.
Additionally, there are instances where high pressures are used in patients without long-term effects, such as during recruitment manoeuvres. Pressures used to reinflate collapsed lungs are as high as 40cmH2O.
It isn't so much the pressure that is dangerous (barotrauma) it is the volume that the lungs stretch to (volutrauma). Experimentally, a pressure of 80-140cmH2O was required to rupture lungs when they are held within a bony thorax.
In summary - it will be OK as a safety feature.
Thanks,
Courtney - Clinical Educator in Anaesthesia