Table. Overview of commonly used modern modes of ventilation, based on the authors' clinical and scientific experience.

Mode	Principle	Advantages	Disadvantages
HFOV	Low tidal volumes (1–2 mL/kgBW) High respiratory rate (up to 12 Hz)	Higher mean airway pressure with relatively low peak pressures Alveolar recruitment Lower shearing forces in the lungs	Need for more analgesia/sedation Hemodynamic impairment due to elevated intrathoracic pressure Possibly increased mortality of ARDS patients
PAV	Proportional pressure support by means of compensation for individual resistance and compliance	Better synchrony with ventilator Better oxygenation and pulmonary mechanics	Risk of "runaway,” especially with pathological breathing patterns Frequent adjustment needed if resistance and/or compliance varies Optimal setting is time-consuming
PAV+	Automatic resistance and compliance measurement, with automatic adjustment of settings	Simplified setting of parameters with the aid of automatic measurement of resistance and compliance	Risk of "runaway,” especially with pathological breathing patterns
NAVA	Proportional pressure support through measurement and reinforcement of neuromuscular diaphragmatic activity	Ventilation triggered directly by diaphragmatic activity, not by pressure or flow changes in the ventilator Better synchrony	Proper positioning of the measuring probe can be cumbersome Optimal setting is time-consuming
variable ("noisy”) PSV	Varying pressure-support levels for each breath, given in random order	Can be used simply and rapidly Extrinsic variability is applied Better lung function without damage to pulmonary parenchyma Better synchrony	Airway pressures may be intermittently higher
ASV	The user sets the body weight, the desired minute volume, and the tolerable upper and lower limits Closed-loop control of ventilation to optimize the relationship between tidal volume and respiratory rate	Reduced respiratory work Can be used for controlled ventilaton and for all intermediate stages up to extubation Better synchrony Less labor-intensive for ICU personnel because of automatization	Risk of loss of control due to automatization of ventilation Risk of "runaway,” especially with pathological breathing patterns
IntelliVent-ASV	Like ASV, with additional integration of oxygen saturation and end-tidal CO2 concentration in the algorithm	Better adaptation to the patient	Risk of loss of control due to automatization of ventilation Risk of incorrect adjustment, especially with pathological breathing patterns
SmartCare	Automatic adjustment of pressure support to keep the patient in the respiratory comfort zone	Quicker weaning through automated trials of spontaneous respiration	Faulty adjustment in patients with neurologically impaired breathing regulation or respiratory muscles, severe bronchospasm, or agitation

HFOV, "high-frequency oscillatory ventilation”; ARDS, "adult respiratory distress syndrome”; PAV, "proportional assist ventilation”;

PAV+, "proportional assist ventilation with load-adjusted gain factors”; NAVA, "neurally adjusted ventilatory assist”;

PSV, "pressure-support ventilation”; ASV, "adaptive support ventilation”