Patent ID: 8689787

Claim:
An apparatus for respiratory support and non-invasive detection of alveolar derecruitment for patients suffering from respiratory failure, said apparatus comprising: conduits for the passage of air from and to the airways of a patient, a mechanical ventilator for carrying out respiratory functions by supply of air under pressure to said conduits means to allow imposition of an additional pressure component (Pstim) of at least one prefixed frequency, and further comprising transducers of pressure to electric signals, transducers of flow to electric signals applied to said conduits and computing means for processing said electric signals resulting from both of said transducers of pressure and transducers of flow, the additional pressure imposed being based on the output of said computing means so as to obtain a value of the inspiratory reactance (Xrs), varying the value of the positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) indicative of the state of pulmonary derecruitment, and then said mechanical ventilator providing a settable PEEP corresponding to the maximum value of the respiratory reactance (Xrs).