What is mechanical ventilation?

Mechanical Ventilation
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Ventilator

A ventilator is a machine that helps a person breathe or breathes for the person. It controls and monitors the amounts of air and oxygen that flows into the person's lungs. Ventilators may be used for people who have serious breathing conditions. These include conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or severe pneumonia.

Doctors usually attach a ventilator to a tube they have placed into the person's windpipe (trachea) through the mouth or nose. If the person needs the ventilator for a long period of time, the doctor may make an opening directly in the trachea (tracheostomy) and place the tube through this opening.

What are the types of mechanical ventilation?

There are two types of mechanical ventilation: noninvasive and invasive.

Noninvasive

A mask that is the right size for you is placed on your face. It may cover just your nose. Or it may cover your nose and mouth. A machine then helps you breathe. This helps decrease the work of breathing and gives you more oxygen.

This treatment may be used if it's hard for you to breathe but you can still breathe on your own.

Invasive

A breathing tube is placed in your mouth. The tube goes into your windpipe. A machine then helps you breathe. In severe cases, the machine may breathe for you while your lung function improves. You'll get medicines to help keep you as comfortable as possible. The breathing tube is removed when you feel better and can breathe on your own.

You may get this type of ventilation if:

  • You have severe trouble breathing or you can't breathe on your own.
  • You have other health problems that make it more likely that noninvasive ventilation won't work.
  • You had noninvasive ventilation, but it didn't help your breathing.

What is mechanical ventilation?

Mechanical ventilation means that a machine is used to help you breathe. This treatment can help people with serious breathing problems. It may be used in people who have:

  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  • Severe pneumonia.
  • Other reasons for severe trouble breathing.

Most of the time it's used only until you can breathe better on your own. But sometimes it's used for a longer time at home or in a care center. This is called chronic or long-term mechanical ventilation.

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