Differential lung ventilation. Applications beyond the operating room.

Mechanical ventilatory support in the setting of unilateral lung disease offers unique problems in management. When the difference in airway resistance or lung compliance between the two lungs is exaggerated, conventional mechanical ventilation might lead to preferential ventilation with hyperexpansion of one lung and gradual collapse of the other. Differential ventilation has been advocated to avert this problem. We illustrate the use of this technique in the management of two patients with different underlying pathologic conditions.