Abstract
High-frequency ventilation (HFV) is a mode of therapy that delivers a tidal volume that is usually smaller than the anatomic dead space of the lung. Ventilation is thought to be accomplished by a combination of direct ventilation, increased convective mixing or "pendelluft," and augmented and molecular diffusion. These allow gas exchange at pressure fluctuations lower than that required for conventional ventilation and may consequently decrease the incidence of barotrauma. HFV has been used in the newborn for the following indications: pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pulmonary hypoplasia, persistent pulmonary hypertension, and as a last resort in cases of severe respiratory failure not responsive to conventional ventilation.
