Design of an optimal ventilator

When a patient is incapable of adequate ventilation by natural processes, mechanical assistance must be provided. Ventilation assures sufficient Oxygen delivery to the organs and tissues of the body and excessive amounts of Carbon Dioxide are not permitted to accumulate. Ventilators are employed continuously or intermittently to improve the ventilation of the lungs. The present work involves design of a ventilator that virtually eliminates any work done by the patients in their breathing process. Presently available ventilators approach this level of performance but they have a few reported shortcomings. These limitations include insufficiency of inspiratory airflow and rigidity of operating cycles. The new ventilator is built around an optimal controller and its performance is based on computational capability of microprocessors. Real time measurements of volume, flow rates and pressure are managed and processed by these devices for optimal determination of controlled parameters of the ensuing respiratory cycle. These measured parameters are used for estimating the lung characteristics such as lung compliance and airway resistance. An independent microprocessor system incorporating data acquisition and processing features with scope for a number of additional capabilities such as graphic output, database and communications functions can prove very useful in health care institutions.