Yes I can explain the proper use of a ventilator.
The human respiratory system has two components
1. Oxygenation (getting oxygen to the organs)
2. Ventilation (getting rid of carbon dioxide the exhaust of respiration)
Ventilators are used to assist one or both of the above. You can have hypoxic, hypercarbic or both forms of respiratory failure
There are a whole bunch of variable to set on a vent
1. Mode (how much the patient is responsible for breathing)
2. Rate (breaths per minute)
3. Tidal volume (volume of each breath)
4. Oxygen concentration (fraction of oxygen given)
5. pEEP (pressure at the end of breathing cycles)
6. Flow rate (maximum amount of liters per minute during inspiration)
The parameters for putting someone on a vent are complex. It why in order to be a doc who runs a vent you have a minimum of five years post doctoral training
We make vent changes while protecting the lung by analyzing arterial blood gasses. We know what’s safe for the lung in terms of pressures and oxygen mix
Sometimes you have to make tough calls as to what is ok and what is not to provide appropriate oxygen to the organs
Vent mortality is not anywhere near 80%
Even in CoVId
Thanks, and I would think that the worse position would be laying down, face up. Inside.
“Vent mortality is not anywhere near 80%”
Thanks for the informative post. Ventilators are indeed complex devices. Wow! Five years of post-doctoral training!