Effects of NIV and CPAP on Ventilation Distribution, Measured by EIT, During Deep Sedation in Paediatric Patients

In patients undergoing spontaneous breathing (SB) deep sedation there is a re-distribution of ventilation towards lungs non-dependant areas (ventral areas in supine position). Non-invasive ventilation (NIV), offering positive pressure, should favour a better ventilation of dependant areas (dorsal areas in supine position), making ventilation more homogeneous and increasing functional residual capacity. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive, non-operator dependent, bedside, radiations-free diagnostic tool, feasible in paediatric patients and repeatable; it allows to study ventilation distribution, and it can measure and calculate also parameters that are related to the homogeneity of ventilation and the response to certain therapeutic maneuvers, such as anaesthesia or PEEP-application. Uses of EIT in paediatric age are described in literature, but it has never been described as being used in Non-Operating Room Anaesthesia, nor in other cases of SB deep sedation. In addition, the impact of NIV on the distribution of ventilation in healthy paediatric patients undergoing deep sedation has never been described.