Footnotes

• Competing interests: Viasys Healthcare, Draeger Medical, Tyco Healthcare Puritan Bennett and Maquet Inc. support an annual post-graduate educational event at the University of Miami. The University of Miami and Drs Bancalari and Claure have a patent licensing agreement with Viasys Healthcare unrelated to the material discussed here.

• Abbreviations:

  A/C

  assist/control ventilation

  BPD

  bronchopulmonary dysplasia

  CMV

  conventional mechanical ventilation

  CTGI

  continuous tracheal gas insufflation

  ET

  endotracheal tube

  IMV

  intermittent mandatory ventilation

  IVH

  intraventricular haemorrhage

  MMV

  mandatory minute ventilation

  N-A/C

  nasal A/C

  NCPAP

  nasal continuous positive airway pressure

  N-SIMV

  nasal SIMV

  PAV

  proportional assist ventilation

  PIP

  automated peak inspiratory pressure

  PRVC

  pressure-regulated volume-controlled

  PSV

  pressure support ventilation

  PTV

  patient triggered ventilation

  RDS

  respiratory distress syndrome

  SIMV

  synchronised intermittent mandatory ventilation

  SIPPV

  synchronised IPPV

  TCPL

  time-cycled pressure limited

  VAPS

  volume-assured pressure-support

  VC

  volume controlled ventilator

  VG

  volume guarantee ventilator

  V_T

  tidal volume