Description

This book of “Clinical Applications of Mechanical Ventilation” reviews recent applications of mechanical ventilation such as controlled hypoventilation in acute asthma, domiciliary nocturnal ventilation in chronic respiratory failure due to neuromuscular disease and improvement of left ventricular performance by raised intrathoracic pressure. Established uses of mechanical ventilation include control of respiratory failure, intracranial pressure and pulmonary hypertension while other uses such as internal splinting of flail chest, simultaneous ventilation-compression cardiopulmonary resuscitation and prophylactic postoperative ventilation are more controversial. Mechanical ventilation is one of the most confusing and often over complicated topics that medical professionals—such as nurses, paramedics, physicians and respiratory therapists encounter in their education. It is very common for seasoned medical practitioners working in critical care environments to still be intimidated with how to approach ventilation and how to understand all settings and modes. Much of the available learning materials over complicate concepts that can be explained simply including unnecessary calculations and advanced concepts because they are written for respiratory therapists and respiratory physicians who are expected to hold advanced knowledge of the field.