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Updated: Jun 30, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unraveling the Impact of Mechanical Ventilation on Diaphragm Function and Patient Outcomes
Published on: November 3, 2023
A history of home mechanical ventilation: The past, present and future
Rebecca F D'Cruz1,2, Nicholas Hart1,2
1Lane Fox Clinical Respiratory Physiology Research Centre, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Abstract:
This state-of-the-art review provides an overview of the history of home mechanical ventilation (HMV), including early descriptions of mechanical ventilation from ancient and Renaissance perspectives and the mass development of ventilators designed for long-term use during the poliomyelitis epidemic. Seminal data from key clinical trials supports the application of HMV in certain patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neuromuscular disease and obesity-related respiratory failure. Innovative engineering coupled with refined physiological understanding now permits widespread delivery of home mechanical ventilation to a global population, using portable devices with advanced ventilatory modes and telemonitoring capabilities. Exponential growth in digital technology continues, and ongoing research is needed to understand how to harness clinical and physiological data to benefit patients and healthcare services in a clinically- and cost-effective manner.
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