Obstructed medium and small airways with mechanical ventilation and progressive dynamic hyperinflation

Obstructed medium and small airways with mechanical ventilation and progressive dynamic hyperinflation from insufficient expiratory time. Note the failure of flow to return to 0 during exhalation on the flow versus time graph (top). The pressure-time graph (middle) displays progressive air trapping and generation of auto-PEEP. The volume-time graph (bottom) displays a progressive rise in lung volumes as air is trapped with each breath.