Barotrauma

Barotrauma remains a significant complication of mechanical ventilation, particularly in ARDS. A number of alternative techniques for mechanical ventilation are being investigated with the purpose of minimizing ventilator-related lung injury and air leak phenomena while maintaining adequate oxygenation. Among them pressure-controlled inverse-ratio ventilation and extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal have not resulted in a definite reduction of barotrauma thus far. The radiologist plays an important role in the early recognition of barotrauma and may assist in the treatment of its sequelae.