Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Over the last six years high-frequency ventilation has been extensively evaluated both in the clinical and laboratory settings. It is now no longer the great mystery it once was, and it is now no longer believed (as many had hoped), that it will solve all the problems associated with mechanical pulmonary ventilation. Although the technique is safe and appears to cause no harm even in the long term, it has not yet been shown to offer any major advantages over conventional mechanical ventilation.
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Recent modes of ventilatory support aim to facilitate weaning and minimise the physiological disadvantages of intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV). Intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) allows the patient to breathe spontaneously in between ventilator breaths. ⋯ Other modes or refinements of IPPV include high frequency ventilation, expiratory retard, differential lung ventilation, inversed ratio ventilation, 'sighs', varied inspiratory flow waveforms and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. While these techniques have useful applications in selective situations, IPPV remains the mainstay of managing respiratory failure for most patients.
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This paper reviews the state of the art in Australia of manually operated, self-inflating bag resuscitators, including the Laerdal, Air Viva and Ambu; manually operated bags dependent upon an oxygen supply, including Mapleson B, C, E and F, the CIG Medishield Oxy-Saver and modified Oxy-Viva Resuscitator 3, and the Komesaroff Oxy-Resuscitator RD85; oxygen-powered resuscitators, including the Oxy-Viva Resuscitator 3 with Demand and RM2 Valves, and the Oxylife FM85; and portable ventilators, including the Drager Oxylog, and Ohmeda Logic 07. Specific comment is made to the effect that the design of the resuscitator is often less important than the knowledge and ability of the operator in using the equipment to achieve adequate lung ventilation. ⋯ With special training, use of more complex equipment can be justified in some circumstances. The more complex the equipment, the greater the risk of inappropriate use, and the greater the risk of equipment malfunction unless a regular maintenance program is followed.
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Desirable features of new generation intensive care ventilators include the ability to ventilate a wide range of patient sizes, an uncomplicated control panel, an appropriate but not excessive variety of ventilatory patterns, adequate patient monitoring and alarm functions, and simplicity of cleaning and routine maintenance. Examples of currently available ventilators include the Servo 900-C, CPU-1, Engstrom Erica, Bear 5, Drager EV-A and Hamilton Veolar. ⋯ Current trends in ventilator design include further refinement of computer control and the provision of graphic displays showing the results of continuous sophisticated analysis of respiratory function. The extent to which these developments will prove clinically useful will require careful evaluation.
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In this paper, a number of reported systems for classifying ventilators are considered and their usefulness commented on. Most omit the concept of power, which is an important factor in how the ventilator will perform. It is recommended that a system of classification should be backed by bench tests and clinical trials. Not enough is known about high frequency ventilation to permit reasonable evaluation of the classifications proposed in this area.