Pulmonary complications related to mechanical ventilation occur commonly. The most important complications are ventilator-associated lung injury, endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy associated airway complications, oxygen toxicity, ventilator-associated pneumonia, pulmonary emboli, patient-ventilator asynchrony.

Mechanical ventilation is a nonphysiological process. Pressure, volume, and FiO2 levels that the lung may not tolerate are frequently used. Therefore, lung injury may be caused or extended by mechanical ventilation. In this review, pathophysiology and clinical forms of ventilator-associated lung injury are summarized. Lung protective ventilation strategies are also reviewed.