Portable Mechanical Ventilators

Abstract

Following over 40 years of development there is now a range of portable mechanical ventilators available which are used both inside and outside the hospital by non-specialists from the medical, paramedical and nursing professions. These devices range in their complexity from simple resuscitation devices which can replace the use of the bag-valve mask through to complex computer-controlled electronic ventilators for use in specialised patient transport and a number of classifications are possible. A basic knowledge of the function, controls and monitoring and alarm systems of a portable mechanical ventilator is essential for its safe use. The alarm systems supplement rather than replace good clinical observation and practice. Before any first use of a new ventilator there must be commissioning checks, preferably using a test lung. Equally there must be user checks before a ventilator is used in emergency or in transport. The effective use of portable ventilators requires a suitable training programme and is helped by the use of cockpit–style checklists. Although portable ventilators are increasingly widely-used around the world there is a relatively limited number of publications concerning their use and there is a need for more work in this field. A number of publications have shown the potential deficiencies of bag-valve compared with mechanical ventilation with the risk of hyperinflation of the lungs and the associated problems.