Within the limits of a survey, patients with COVID-19 might be at high risk for barotrauma during invasive (and allegedly lung-protective) mechanical ventilation.

The response rate was 38/61 (62%).

The incidence of barotrauma was 145/2041.

Only a few cases occurred with ventilatory settings that may be considered non-protective such as a plateau airway pressure >35 cmH2O, a driving airway pressure >15 cmH2O, or a tidal volume >8 ml/kg of ideal body weight and a plateau airway pressure >30 cmH2O.

The study was an electronic survey open from March 27th to May 2nd, 2020. Patients with COVID-19 who developed barotrauma while on invasive mechanical ventilation from 61 hospitals of the COVID-19 Lombardy Intensive Care Unit Network were involved.

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