Using Anesthesia Machines as Critical Care Ventilators During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Somewhere between 30% and 89% of patients with COVID-19 admitted to a critical care unit require invasive mechanical ventilation. Concern over the lack of adequate numbers of critical care ventilators to meet this demand led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize the use of anesthesia machines as critical care ventilators. The use of anesthesia machines for ventilating patients with COVID-19 is overseen by an anesthesia provider, but respiratory therapists may encounter their use. This article reviews the fundamental differences between anesthesia machines and critical care ventilators, as well as some common problems encountered when using an anesthesia machine to ventilate a patient with COVID-19 and steps to mitigate these problems.