Anesthesia and critical care ventilator modes: past, present, and future

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Respiratory Medicine
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Mechanical ventilators have significantly advanced from basic machines to complex electronic devices.
• Recent decades show rapid progress in ventilator capabilities for critical care and anesthesia.
• Enhanced understanding of patient physiology and positive pressure ventilation effects has revolutionized mechanical ventilation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a historical overview of mechanical ventilation.
• To review current mechanical ventilator modes used in anesthesia and critical care.
• To define ventilator modes, their varied terminology, and optimization techniques.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of mechanical ventilation history and current modes.
• Analysis of ventilator principles, including volume-based and pressure-based variances.
• Examination of terminology and optimization strategies for patient care.

Main Results:

• Mechanical ventilators have evolved into sophisticated microprocessing systems.
• Current ventilator modes, though varied in labeling, operate on fundamental volume-based or pressure-based principles.
• A wide array of modes exists to meet diverse patient pulmonary needs.

Conclusions:

• Anesthesia providers must understand diverse mechanical ventilator modes for optimal patient care.
• Knowledge of ventilator modes aids in matching patient needs and avoiding complications.
• Despite evolving terminology, core principles of mechanical ventilation remain consistent.