Read this article on Mechanical Ventilation written by the Cleveland Clinic. To view this article in full, visit the website at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15368-mechanical-ventilation
Here is a snippet of information:
What is mechanical ventilation?
Mechanical ventilation is a form of life support that helps you breathe (ventilate) when you can’t breathe on your own. This can be during surgery or when you’re very sick.
While mechanical ventilation doesn’t directly treat illnesses, it can stabilize you while other treatments and medications help your body recover.
What is a ventilator?
A ventilator is a machine that helps you breathe. Just like crutches support your weight, the ventilator partially or completely supports your lung functions. A ventilator:
- Provides oxygen to your lungs.
- Helps remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from your lungs.
- Provides pressure to keep the small air sacks in your lungs (alveoli) from collapsing.
Providers can adjust the settings on the machine to meet your specific needs.