Lung recruitment.

It has become increasingly clear that a lung protective ventilatory strategy during adult respiratory distress syndrome/acute lung injury has a positive effect on outcome. Lung recruitment is a major component of this strategy. High-pressure recruitment maneuvers and prone positioning can open the lung; however, once the lung is opened, it must be kept open with appropriate levels of positive end-expiratory pressure. For both of these techniques to be effective, they must be used early in the course of adult respiratory distress syndrome/acute lung injury.