A ventilator, or mechanical ventilator, is a life-support machine that helps you breathe when you cannot do so on your own due to illness, injury, surgery, or sedation. It delivers oxygen-rich air into your lungs and removes carbon dioxide. Ventilators connect to a face mask or a breathing tube inserted through the mouth, nose, or neck (tracheostomy).
Types of Ventilation
- Noninvasive Ventilation: Uses a mask connected to devices like CPAP or BiPAP, often for conditions such as sleep apnea or mild respiratory issues.
- Invasive Ventilation: Involves placing a breathing tube in your airway via intubation or tracheostomy for more serious conditions.
- Manual Resuscitator Bags: Hand-pumped devices used in emergencies or when mechanical ventilators are unavailable.
Why Ventilators Are Used
Ventilators assist during surgeries under general anesthesia, in respiratory failure, and for conditions like pneumonia, COPD, brain injuries, or severe allergic reactions. They are also crucial for severe COVID-19 cases where lung inflammation makes breathing difficult.
How They Work
Before reaching the windpipe, air passes through a humidifier to keep it warm and moist. A ventilator can either fully take over breathing or assist when needed.
Possible Complications
While lifesaving, ventilators may cause:
- Infections such as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
- Lung Damage from excessive air pressure or oxygen
- Other Issues include delirium, bedsores, vocal cord irritation, or muscle weakness
Home Use & Recovery
Some patients need long-term ventilation at home, using portable machines with backup power, humidifiers, and suction devices. Weaning off a ventilator can take time—often a week of recovery for every day of use.
Ventilators are essential in critical care, but they require expert monitoring to prevent complications and support safe recovery.