DEPENDING ON THE DICTIONARY USED, VENtilation has numerous definitions, with the second or third definition as "the process of the exchange of air between the lungs and ambient air." This is the definition that we will use in this article. We will also confine this article to the mechanical ventilation of a patient and how it is accomplished. The key is to think simply and not overcomplicate the technology.
The simplest of the mechanical ventilators is the Ambu-bag. This is widely used in hospitals when transporting patients, during codes (CPR), and in operating rooms. Basic operation principles apply: Squeeze the bag, which pushes air through a valve system into a mask ...