What does Plateau Pressure (Pplat) measure during positive-pressure ventilation?

Plateau Pressure (Pplat) measures the pressure applied during positive-pressure ventilation when there is no air flow; this occurs during an inspiratory hold maneuver. It reflects the pressure within the alveoli and the lung compliance, specifically when the airways are occluded and there is no airflow. Understanding Pplat is essential in assessing the lung mechanics during mechanical ventilation, as it helps to distinguish between issues related to lung compliance and airway resistance.

In clinical practice, monitoring Pplat is crucial for preventing lung injury during mechanical ventilation. Elevated Pplat values may indicate the need for adjustments in ventilator settings or additional interventions to improve patient lung mechanics, such as recruiting collapsed alveoli or adjusting volumes.

The other options do not accurately describe what Pplat measures. Airway resistance relates to the pressure changes during airflow through the airways, oxygen levels pertain to the amount of oxygen in the blood, and PEEP levels refer to the positive end-expiratory pressure setting on the ventilator rather than a measurement of pressure during ventilation itself.