Why are medical ventilators important in the treatment of COVID-19?

The novel coronavirus pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection. Currently, there is no medicine or medical means to cure it. However, ventilators play an important role in the treatment of the novel coronavirus pneumonia, which is being rushed by all countries.

So, what exactly is the role of ventilators in treating COVID-19?

What is a medical ventilator?

Medical ventilator is an effective means of artificial replacement of autonomic ventilation function. It has been widely used in respiratory failure caused by various reasons, respiratory support treatment and emergency resuscitation, and occupies a very important position in the field of modern medicine.

Ventilators are divided into invasive ventilators and non-invasive ventilators.

Invasive ventilators are mainly connected to a ventilator through endotracheal intubation or tracheotomy, and can provide respiratory support for patients. Invasive ventilators are usually used when patients have been unable to maintain respiratory function, or respiratory failure.

Medical non-invasive ventilator, however, does not cause any wound to patients, greatly reduces the risk of infection, but also can cooperate with patients' autonomous breathing and maintain stable blood oxygen saturation. It is often used in the treatment stage to help patients reduce their lung burden and improve their blood gas oxygenation index.

What role do ventilators play in the treatment of COVID-19?

Ventilators play a very important role in the pneumonia outbreak caused by the new coronavirus. The novel coronavirus can further damage the body by damaging the function of the lungs and producing large amounts of mucus in the lungs, which can hinder oxygen absorption and lower blood oxygen saturation levels. The function of ventilator is to deliver oxygen outside the body, ensure the oxygen content in the blood, maintain the life activities of critically ill patients, and buy time for more clinical treatment.

According to WHO data, one out of every six COVID-19 patients will develop severe symptoms and breathing difficulties. Severely ill patients whose lungs have been damaged by the virus are unable to breathe on their own and oxygen levels drop, forcing them to use ventilators. If severe patients with respiratory failure do not use the ventilator in time, they cannot get effective life support, which is easy to further deteriorate the condition and then die.

Conclusion

Clinically, the use of ventilator can not directly treat patients, but is used to relieve patients' respiratory distress, maintain life, buy time and create treatment conditions.