Pressure-controlled and volume-cycled mechanical ventilation.

Pressure and volume modes of mechanical ventilation are available as options in the current generation of ventilators, giving clinicians many choices when managing a mechanically ventilated patient. In volume cycled ventilation, tidal volume is set and airway pressures are measured, whereas in pressure-controlled ventilation, pressure is set and volume is measured. This article reviews the characteristics of these two ventilatory modes and discusses in detail conversion from one mode to the other. Pertinent clinical studies and recent direct comparisons of volume-cycled and pressure-controlled ventilation are reviewed.