Acute respiratory failure due to derangement of mechanical properties of respiratory system and/or to neuromuscular weakness has been defined as ``poor neuroventilatory coupling.'' Proportional assist ventilation (PAV) is an innovative mode of partial ventilatory support designed to ``amplify'' patient inspiratory effort and thus to restore a normal ``neuroventilatory coupling.'' Potential advantages of PAV in terms of more physiologic patient-ventilator interactions have been evaluated by several studies. We review the literature to elucidate the state of the art of the clinical implementation of PAV.
Neuroventilatory coupling - proportional assist ventilation - patient-ventilator interactions
