USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTHCARE

VENTILATORS : TECHNOLOGICAL HOPE FOR LUNGS

Dhrumil Patel*, C N Patel, Jignesh, Patel, Rinku Patel, Naman Doshi, Chetan Patel
Shri Sarvajanik Pharmacy College, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Mehsana-384001, Gujarat, India;
Phone: 00-91-2762-247711 (Ext-304); Fax: 00-91-2762-247712
Email: dhrumil_2323@yahoo.co.in
ABSTRACT

Today, Biomedical Instrumentation has become a multi-faceted activity with many branches of science contributing to its
present strengths. Ventilators are the devices or the systems that are designed to provide oxygen to and clear carbon
dioxide from pulmonary capillary blood and try to give the patient ventilation, which is as close as possible to normal
respiration. So, ventilators are the instruments used for the survival of a human being under the damaged condition of
lungs or injuries, which cause the respiratory failure. Ventilators provide the artificial breath to the patient.

In physiology, the term ventilation refers to the delivery of oxygen to the lungs. When the respiratory system becomes
impaired to function, it is necessary to use an artificial means to move air into and from the lungs. Ventilators are used for
artificial breathing. Whenever a patients lungs get paralyzed or one has barotraumas, he is put on ventilator. Thus,
ventilator is an instrument, which forces the air in the patients lungs for inhalation and also takes it out during exhalation.
Mechanical ventilators have the function of breathing when patients are not capable of breathing efficiently on their own
because of diseases or injuries. The most common uses are in the treatment of heart attacks, various diseases such as
emphysema, bronchitis or polio and serious injuries to the nervous system: 1. Patient having mechanical obstruction:
Obstruction in trachea, Asthma, Frequency term fall. 2. Muscle Paralysis: Nervous breakdown, Brain injury, Local muscle
injury. 3. Hyper ventilation in head injury. Mechanical Ventilation is also used like Negative, positive and high frequency
pressure ventilation. An estimated one and a half million people fall victim to the problems of respiratory tract. Taking
care of these patients in special care units or ICU of hospitals involve the use of ventilators. Ventilators can effectively
prove life saving unit in threatening conditions. Thus, they have significant role to play in healthcare systems.
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