Lung protective ventilation: A summary of the current evidence from the 2012 American Association for Respiratory Care International Congress

Over 150 invited experts presented to almost 6000 participants at the most recent American Association for Respiratory Care International Congress. These participants represented a broad international audience with a range of expertise that included respiratory therapists, physicians, nurses and others. While the program incorporated an extensive curriculum, the theme of lung protective ventilation was highlighted throughout the Congress. Experts reviewed the current evidence regarding the risk for ventilator-induced lung injury in mechanically ventilated patients without pre-existing lung disease and in those with acute lung injury. In addition, several experts reviewed the cutting edge approach of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a lung protective approach.