[A computer-controlled closed circle system for ventilation during anesthesia and intensive care and its...

A computer feed back controlled anaesthesia- and intensive care ventilator has been developed with on-line and separate lung function measurement. The system design is built on the principle of a totally closed circuit (closed rebreathing respirometer) and an inspiratory "high flow", the gas being rotated through the closed circuit unidirectionally by a blower with 70 l/min. Ventilation is performed by metal membranes freely movable in membrane chambers with an internal part included into the closed circuit and an external part connected to pressurized air controlling inspiratory valves expiratory valves. The electronic valves are software controlled by the computer to exactly perform the desired preset ventilatory mode. Membrane movement are on-line measured capacitively and transformed into respective flow and volume values, whereby the compressibility of the system gas (on-line pressure recording) is taken into account. Volatile anaesthetic gases are feed back controlled to preset end expiratory values (MAC-controlled anaesthesia), circuit volume is maintained by N20-addition and oxygen is added to maintain the desired present inspiratory concentration measured with paramagnetic oxygen sensors. Ergonometric aspects led to the triangular from of the new anaesthesia and intensive care ventilator with the controlling service screen turnable to all three sides of the ventilator (high flexibility of the user) and all necessary equipment and material included into the "Anaesthesia workstation". All measured and present parameters are continuously displayed on the service (computer) screen and entered into the computer-memory in minute cycles with a memory capacity of 75 h anaesthesia. At any desired moment the memorized values can be transferred to IBM-compatible disc systems for storage or into the respective data management systems, thus at the end of anaesthesia, at the end of the working day or at the end of the week.