High-frequency ventilation with the Drager Babylog 8000plus: Measuring the delivered frequency

Ventilator frequency is one of the determinants of tidal volume delivery during high-frequency ventilation. Clinicians increasingly use data on ventilator displays to inform their decisions. AIM: To measure the frequencies delivered by the Drager Babylog 8000plus ventilator when used in high-frequency mode. METHODS: Ventilator waveforms using a test lung were recorded at the full range of settings 5-20 Hz using Spectra software at 1000 Hz. The changes in frequency produced by a 1-Hz change in set frequency were calculated. Actual and displayed frequencies were compared. RESULTS: For settings up to 12 Hz, median (range) difference between set and delivered frequencies was 0 (-0.4 to +0.1) Hz. Above 12 Hz, delivered frequency varied by -0.3 (-1.9 to +0.3) Hz. For 1-Hz changes in frequency settings, in the range 5-12 Hz, 1-Hz changes produced a change in delivered frequency of 1.0 (0.6-1.4) Hz. Above 12 Hz, the corresponding changes were 0.7 (0-2.9) Hz. The ventilator displays the set frequency during operation rather than the delivered frequency. CONCLUSION: At 12 Hz and below, the differences between set and delivered frequencies were relatively small compared with those at 13 Hz and higher. Above 13 Hz, the difference between set and delivered frequencies was up to 2.9 Hz. Some frequency setting changes did not result in a change in delivered frequency.