Spinal Cord Stimulation to Shorten Ventilator Dependence in ARDS Patients

Description

Stimulation will be conducted in closed-loop fashion at the start of inspiratory cycle. Signal from a chest belt will be used to synchronize stimulation with ventilator and prevent interference with ventilator (see Protection of Human Subjects). Prior to treatment stimulation, mapping will be conducted at 1 Hz with electrodes placed in locations identified to be optimal in the surgery cohort. Assessment of evoked EMG responses from respiratory muscles will be conducted. Once this electrode configuration is confirmed as effective (capable of evoking EMG activity), stimulation with this configuration will be applied for treatment.