When should pressure support ventilation be utilized?

Pressure support ventilation (PSV) is specifically designed to assist patients who are capable of initiating their own breaths but may not have sufficient strength or drive to breathe effectively on their own. This mode of ventilation provides a preset level of pressure support during spontaneous breaths, making it especially beneficial for patients who are starting to regain consciousness and have the ability to initiate breaths, such as those awakening with a laryngeal mask airway (LMA).

When a patient is awakening and demonstrating some degree of spontaneous respiratory effort, PSV allows for easier and less labor-intensive breathing. The augmenting pressure helps overcome the resistance of the airway and the work of breathing, providing essential support without taking over the patient's respiratory efforts.

Utilizing PSV during invasive procedures is not typical, as it is generally focused on supporting spontaneous breathing. Deep coma patients may lack the necessary ventilatory drive to benefit from spontaneous ventilation modes like PSV. Hence, the use of pressure support ventilation is most advantageous for patients who are spontaneously breathing to assist in their recovery and respiratory function.