METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ADJUSTING TIDAL VOLUME DURING VENTILATION

1 . A method for ventilating a patient with a ventilator comprising:

delivering a tidal volume to a patient;

monitoring at least one patient parameter;

estimating at least one patient compliance based at least on the at least one monitored parameter;

adjusting the tidal volume to form an adjusted tidal volume based at least on the at least one patient compliance; and

delivering the adjusted tidal volume to the patient.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the tidal volume should be changed based at least on the at least one patient compliance;

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving an ideal body weight;

wherein the step of estimating, the step of determining, and the step of adjusting are further based on the received ideal body weight.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the patient is being ventilated with a non-spontaneous mode;

determining that a respiration rate should be changed based on the adjusted tidal volume; and

adjusting the respiration rate based on the adjusted tidal volume to form an adjusted respiration rate.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of determining the respiration rate and the step of adjusting the respiration rate are performed continuously.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of determining the respiration rate and the step of adjusting the respiration rate are performed periodically based on at least one of a predetermined event and a predetermined amount of time.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined event is a predetermined number of breaths.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of estimating is performed periodically based on at least one of a predetermined event and a predetermined amount of time.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined event is a predetermined number of breaths.

10 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of determining, the step of adjusting, and the step of delivering the adjusted tidal volume are performed periodically based on at least one of a predetermined event and a predetermined amount of time.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined event is a predetermined number of breaths.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of estimating is performed continuously.

13 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of determining, the step of adjusting, and the step of delivering the adjusted tidal volume are performed continuously.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one monitored parameter is lung flow.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying at least one of the adjusted tidal volume, an adjusted respiration rate, the at least one patient compliance, a predetermined event, and a predetermined amount of time.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ventilator is ventilating the patient with a volume targeted breath type.

17 . A ventilator system comprising:

a pressure generating system adapted to generate a flow of breathing gas;

a ventilation tubing system including a patient interface for connecting the pressure generating system to a patient;

one or more sensors operatively coupled to at least one of the pressure generating system, the patient, and the ventilation tubing system, wherein at least one sensor is capable of generating an output indicative of at least one monitored parameter;

a compliance module that estimates at least one patient compliance based at least on the output;

a tidal volume module that determines that a delivered tidal volume should be changed based at least on the at least one patient compliance and adjusts the tidal volume based at least on the at least one patient compliance to form an adjusted tidal volume; and

a processor communicatively coupled with the pressure generating system, the one or more sensors, the compliance module, and the tidal volume module.

18 . The ventilator system of claim 17 , further comprising:

a respiration rate module that determines that the patient is being ventilated with a non-spontaneous breath mode, determines that a respiration rate should be changed based on the adjusted tidal volume, and adjusts the respiration rate based on the adjusted tidal volume to form an adjusted respiration rate.

19 . The ventilator system of claim 17 , wherein the compliance module determines that the delivered tidal volume should be changed based on the at least one patient compliance and on a received ideal body weight.

20 . The ventilator system of claim 17 , wherein the tidal volume module determines that the delivered tidal volume should be changed based on the at least one patient compliance and a received ideal body weight and adjusts the tidal volume based on the at least one patient compliance and the received ideal body weight.

21 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of ventilating a patient with a ventilator, the method comprising:

repeatedly delivering a tidal volume to a patient;

repeatedly monitoring at least one patient parameter;

repeatedly estimating at least one patient compliance based at least on the at least one monitored parameter;

repeatedly adjusting the tidal volume to form an adjusted tidal volume based at least on the at least one patient compliance; and

repeatedly delivering the adjusted tidal volume to the patient.

22 . A ventilator system, comprising:

means for delivering a tidal volume to a patient;

means for monitoring at least one patient parameter;

means for estimating at least one patient compliance based at least on the at least one monitored parameter;

means for adjusting the tidal volume to form an adjusted tidal volume based at least on the at least one patient compliance; and

means for delivering the adjusted tidal volume to the patient.