What is a common complication associated with mechanical ventilation?

Barotrauma is a common complication associated with mechanical ventilation and arises when pressure differences cause lung injury. This can occur when positive pressure ventilation is used, resulting in overdistension of the alveoli. When excessive pressure is applied to the lungs, it can lead to the rupture of alveoli, causing air to escape into the surrounding tissues and pleural space, leading to complications such as pneumothorax.

In the context of mechanical ventilation, proper management of ventilator settings, such as tidal volume and peak inspiratory pressure, is critical to minimizing the risk of barotrauma. The goal is to ensure adequate ventilation while avoiding high airway pressures that could damage lung tissue.

Other options like sleep apnea, atelectasis, and asthma are important considerations in respiratory care but are not direct complications arising from mechanical ventilation. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder, atelectasis is a collapse of lung tissue often due to factors unrelated to mechanical ventilation itself, and asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways. Although mechanical ventilation can be used in asthma management, it is not a complication of the device but rather a potential treatment.