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Mechanical ventilation significantly affects cerebral oxygenation and cerebral blood flow through changes in arterial carbon dioxide levels. Neurosurgical patients might require mechanical ventilation for correction and maintenance of changes in the pulmonary system that occur either due to neurosurgical pathology or following surgery during the acute phase. This review discusses the basics of mechanical ventilation relevant to the neurosurgeon in the day-to-day management of neurosurgical patient requiring artificial support of the respiration.