A method of automatically controlling a
respiration system for proportional assist ventilation with a control device and with a ventilator. An electrical
signal is recorded by
electromyography with electrodes on the chest in order to obtain a
signal uemg(t) representing the
breathing activity. The
respiratory muscle pressure pmus(t) is determined by calculating it in the
control unit from measured values for the
airway pressure and the volume flow Flow(t) as well as the patient's
lung mechanical parameters. The
breathing activity
signal uemg(t) is transformed by means of a preset transformation rule into a pressure signal pemg(uemg)(t)) such that the mean deviation of the resulting transformed pressure signal pemg(t) from the
respiratory muscle pressure pmus(t) is minimized. The
respiratory effort pressure ppat(t) is determined as a weighted mean according to ppat(t)=a·pmus(t)+(1−a)·pemg(t), where a is a parameter selected under the boundary condition 0≦a≦1. The
airway pressure paw(t) to be delivered is calculated as a function of preselected degrees of assist VA (Volume Assist) and FA (Flow Assist) by sliding
adaptation aspaw(ti)=k0+∑j=1nkj·paw(ti-j)+∑j=0nhj·ppat(ti-j)wherein ti is a
current point in time and ti−j, wherein j=1, . . . , n, are previous points in time of a periodical time-discrete sampling, and kj and hj, wherein j=1, . . . , n are parameters dependent
on resistance (R),
elastance (E), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), intrinsic PEEP (iPEEP), Volume Assist (VA) and Flow Assist (FA) and the sampling time Δt, and the ventilator is set by the
control unit so as to provide this
airway pressure paw(ti)