Professional Introduction

In the field of intensive care medicine, technological evolution advances by leaps and bounds. However, this rapid innovation has brought a critical challenge for healthcare professionals: the exponential multiplication of commercial names to refer to ventilatory modes. Currently, there are more than 620 commercial names to describe functions that share the same physiological and engineering basis.

A recent review article published in Medicina Intensiva (2025) by prominent international specialists (Fajardo-Campoverdi, Mireles-Cabodevila, Chatburn, et al.) formally addresses the "Update of the taxonomy of mechanical ventilation modes". The study underscores the urgency of adopting a standardized language (especially in the Spanish-speaking context) to mitigate interpretation errors, improve patient safety, and facilitate clinical research.

Scientific Summary of the Article - Key Points

The Problem of Commercial Nomenclature: The authors compare the current situation of ventilation with a hypothetical scenario in pharmacology where generic names do not exist and only brands are used. This generates widespread confusion, as identical modes have completely different names depending on the manufacturer.

The 10 Fundamental Maxims: Based on the equation of motion of the respiratory system, the taxonomy is governed by strict rules that define whether a breath is Volume-Controlled (VC) or Pressure-Controlled (PC); whether the breath sequence is Continuous Mandatory Ventilation (CMV), Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation (IMV), or Continuous Spontaneous Ventilation (CSV); and the type of targeting scheme (from set point to intelligent systems with AI).

The TAG (Taxonomic Attribute Grouping) System: The standardized labeling of three fundamental components is promoted to precisely identify any current or future mode on the market (e.g., VC-CMVs, PC-CMVa).

The Evolution of the IMV Sequence: The article highlights how intermittent mandatory ventilation has evolved technologically, being classified today into 5 fundamental types based on how spontaneous and mandatory breaths interact (e.g., suppression by frequency or by target minute volume).

Clinical Risks of Confusion: The use of ambiguous names (such as classifying PRVC or Autoflow mode as volume control, when under the equation of motion they are pressure-controlled modes with adaptive targets) alters the clinical interpretation of asynchronies and the patient's work of breathing.

Strategic Connection with Chenwei Medical

At Chenwei Medical, we understand that medical technology must not only be advanced but also transparent, intuitive, and safe for the clinician at the patient's bedside. We fully agree with the conclusions of this taxonomic update: healthcare personnel must use the same syntax to elevate the quality of care.

Clarity in Smart Interfaces: The scientific article warns that activating options on the screen often drastically changes the interaction with the patient (modifying its taxonomic TAG) without the commercial name on the monitor changing. At Chenwei Medical, we design our medical interfaces prioritizing clear visual feedback, ensuring that the operator knows exactly whether they are controlling pressure or volume at any given point in time (p. 3), minimizing inter-operator variability.

Advanced and Adaptive Support: Our ventilators incorporate advanced modes based on adaptive and intelligent control schemes. Just as the review mentions regarding expert systems in ventilator liberation (such as automated weaning), Chenwei Medical's closed-loop algorithms act by reliably processing data in real time, mitigating the risks of unwanted shift in ventilatory work.

Consistency and Continuous Education: We support operational standardization. Therefore, our technological platforms are developed with open architectures that facilitate the scientific mapping of their ventilatory modes with current international classifications. This simplifies staff training in multidisciplinary intensive care units and reduces the learning curve when rotating between different brands.

Conclusion / Call to the Community

Technological innovation must not be synonymous with terminological complexity. By adopting and promoting the principles of international taxonomy in our developments, we at Chenwei Medical reaffirm our commitment to safe, evidence-based mechanical ventilation centered on physiological precision.

Scientific Reference

Fajardo-Campoverdi A, Mireles-Cabodevila E, Medina A, Ibarra-Estrada M, Baltazar-Torres J, Chatburn R. Actualización de la taxonomía de los modos de ventilación mecánica. Med Intensiva. 2025.

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