Recruitment maneuvers in acute respiratory distress syndrome: The safe way is the best way

Figure 1 Schematic representation of lung morphology before and after application of recruitment maneuvers. A: Anatomical recruitment. Alveolar reopening is not accompanied by reperfusion and PaO₂/FiO₂ remains unchanged; B: Functional recruitment. Reperfusion is a landmark of functional recruitment and, after application of a recruitment maneuver, an increment in PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio is expected. RM: Recruitment maneuver.