[Medical Q&A] Can ventilators only be used for critically ill patients?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Zhou Xin, Chief Physician, First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

When hearing the term "ventilator", many people think that once a patient is on a ventilator, it means that the condition is very serious and only critically ill patients will use a ventilator. In fact, ventilators can also be used in a variety of medical scenarios.

A ventilator is a medical device that helps patients breathe mechanically, provides oxygen and discharges carbon dioxide, and can completely or partially replace the patient's spontaneous breathing function. Patients with severe conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, severe pneumonia, heart failure, and multiple organ dysfunction can use ventilators to maintain life. In addition, if patients undergoing surgery require general anesthesia, they will completely lose consciousness during the operation and can also use ventilators to maintain breathing. After surgery, some patients may need mechanical ventilation support for a period of time until their spontaneous breathing function is restored before the ventilator can be removed. Some patients with chronic diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) may need short-term ventilator maintenance during acute exacerbations. Some patients with sleep apnea syndrome can use home ventilators to maintain normal breathing at night. Ventilators can be divided into invasive ventilators (requiring endotracheal intubation or tracheotomy) and non-invasive ventilators (such as masks, continuous positive airway pressure, etc.). Doctors will choose the appropriate breathing mode according to the patient's condition and adjust parameters such as respiratory rate and inspiratory pressure according to the patient's breathing needs. During use, the patient's vital signs will also be continuously monitored through ECG monitoring, blood oxygen saturation monitoring, and other means.