Pediatric Ventilator Management

Intubation and mechanical ventilation for pediatric patients are high-risk procedures. While many principles of mechanical ventilation are similar between adult and pediatric patients, there are numerous key differences. There is no evidence to support which mode of ventilation to use for all pediatric patients; however, consensus criteria recommend pressure-controlled ventilation over volume-controlled ventilation whenever possible. Given the difference in size between adults and pediatrics, closer monitoring is required to prevent barotrauma.