Final answer:
Permissive hypercapnia is a ventilation strategy used in certain situations, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), to prevent further lung injury by allowing the PaCO2 to increase above normal range.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase used to describe the situation where the patient with acute lung injury is ventilated with a smaller tidal volume and the PaCO2 is allowed to increase above normal range to avoid additional lung injury is permissive hypercapnia.
Permissive hypercapnia is a ventilation strategy used in certain situations, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It involves accepting a higher than normal level of carbon dioxide in the blood (PaCO2) to prevent further lung injury.
By using permissive hypercapnia, healthcare providers can reduce the risk of ventilator-induced lung injury and improve outcomes in patients with acute lung injury.