Table 3.

Effect of mechanical ventilation with heliox on fractional ventilation, and center of ventilation as determined by electrical impedance tomography measurements

	Nitrox (T = 0)	Heliox (T = 30)	Nitrox (T = 60)	Heliox (T = 90)	Overall P value
Fractional ventilation
Left lung (%)	50.8 ± 11.0	49.0 ± 10.9	50.1 ± 10.2	49.6 ± 11.2	0.65
Right lung (%)	49.2 ± 11.0	51.0 ± 10.9	49.9 ± 10.2	50.4 ± 11.2	0.65
Center of ventilation
Left lung (%)	44.1 ± 8.0	42.8 ± 7.5	44.1 ± 7.7	43.6 ± 6.9	0.54
Right lung (%)	42.7 ± 6.4	41.6 ± 6.3	42.9 ± 7.0	43.0 ± 7.3	0.76

Data are expressed as percentages.