Airway pressure release ventilation in a patient with refractory intracranial hypertension.

Patients with refractory intracranial hypertension often require short-term mechanical ventilation because they cannot protect their airway. Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) is less commonly used than other modes because it is thought to increase intracranial pressure. However, this case study describes how APRV improved alveolar recruitment and functional residual capacity in a patient with refractory intracranial hypertension secondary to severe traumatic brain injury.