Which ventilators and modes can be used to deliver noninvasive ventilation?

A wide variety of ventilators and modes can be used to deliver noninvasive ventilation (NIV). To navigate successfully through the many options, the clinician must first have a clear understanding of the goals of mechanical ventilation: namely, safety, comfort, and timely liberation. Examining the specific objectives associated with these goals, we can distinguish priorities for NIV. This paper reviews the methods of achieving those objectives by reviewing the characteristics of ventilation modes and how those characteristics are measured in performance-evaluation studies. This review provides the basis for a simple procedure for selecting the most appropriate NIV technology for the patient and the environment of care.