VentWorld
Learning about Ventilators in general.

This topic can be found at:
https://ventworld.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2616042361/m/356102382

May 27, 2009, 08:08 PM
joel w.
Learning about Ventilators in general.
Greetings, I am a beginning biomedical engineering student that seeks some advice of those that know more than I do about the practice of using a ventilator.

I must make a presentation to my class about the set-up, operation, and maintenance of a typical respiratory ventilator with a bio-medical technician's focus.

While i do not expect anyone here to write my presentation for me, I would appreciate any links that anyone here could give to any information that could help.

I also admit my ignorance of this subject, (I guess that's what college is for, huh?) so far all of my knowledge about ventilators has come from a Google search. I would like to find real information, such as some of the publications listed on this web site (Only without the cost). I would like to cover in my presentation:
1)Types of ventilators
2)Typical ventilator settings (including fine tuning w/pulse oxymetry)
3)connections to patients(masks, tubes, etc.)
4)Service procedures (Troubleshooting, calibration, internal mechanism replacement)

Please post here if you can help, or contact my direct at honda_bot(at)yahoo(dot)com

Thanks in advance.
May 27, 2009, 08:30 PM
JonKaye
Dear Joel,

Welcome!

This might be somewhat basic, but here are some articles Frank Primiano and Rob Chatburn wrote several years ago on this topic:

What is a Ventilator?

Also take a look at Rob Chatburn's presentation on this page:

Featured Ventilator Articles
May 29, 2009, 12:36 AM
JeffWhitnack
Wow that is a tall order! Smile

1)Types of ventilators
In the past the neonatal ventilators were all separate. But today many Adult Ventilators also can be put into Pediatric or Neonatal Mode.

Adult
Neonatal
Adult/Neonatal/Ped
Homecare
Transport (some vents can be very good homecare and transport vents---LTV for instance)
Disaster/Military (Eagle Univent and if you want to describe the Vortran as a ventilator)
Oscillator
Negative Pressure (Hyack Oscillator)
Non-invasive (Bipap Vision is approved for invasive use) or Pressure Support Ventilators
Obstructive Sleep apnea (many are just CPAP but others use Bipap)


2)Typical ventilator settings (including fine tuning w/pulse oxymetry)

Mode
Rate
Insp Time or Flow Rate
Tidal Volume and/or Pressure Target
Peep
FiO2
Sighs (option)
Pressure Target (Pressure Support or Pressure Control)
Mode adjuncts like Tube Compensation, "weaning" modes like MMV, etc.
Oscillator settings (Herz, amplitude, piston etc.)
3)connections to patients(masks, tubes, etc.)

Ventilator goes usually to either an ET tube or a trache tube. Inline suction attached, heated humidification or Heat/Moisture Exchanger (HME), some have subglotic suction ports, TGI (tracheal gas insufflation is used in some places). ET tube is secured with tape and moved to other side of mouth and retaped usually at least everyday. End tidal CO2 monitoring often used. (ETCO2). Newer ETCO2 can do volumetric capnography and measure deadspace with every breath.

4)Service procedures (Troubleshooting,
calibration, internal mechanism replacement)

Usually between patients the ventilator is cleaned, new circuit placed on (insp and exp filters) and run through a diagnostic test of some kind.

I had a funny idea for Biomed. A while back a patient on a ventilator suddenly got very stiff and hard to ventilate. The ventilator didn't malfunction but started to rebound with each breath and then auto trigger itself per pressure pop off. We had a new hysterical doctor in the room who freaked and loudly (family hearing) blamed the ventilator. The ventilator was replaced one or more times with the same thing happening (I heard about this and was in stitches laughing). So because of this ridiculous blame all the "malfunctioning" vents and circuits were in the dept. and Biomed had to come check them out. Of course they were all fine. I came up with the idea that perhaps Biomed needs to take it to a higher level. Don't just troubleshoot and check out the devices! No, go further and delve into the psychological problems and issues (from childhood?) whereby clinicians erroneously blame the equipment. I envisioned this group meeting Biomed would call and that doctor would be put under a bit of a psychological therapy session. It could then be written up in a Biomed journal as a new career path or option for hospitals to have Biomed deal with the human factor malfunctions as well as the mechanical ones.
May 29, 2009, 07:14 PM
joel w.
Thanks for your replies! There really is more to know than I thought. But, that's OK, because I won't have problems filling my presentation time.

Does anyone have any operator or service manuals (on PDF) that they could share? That would really help.

Thanks.