Before we talk about How Long Can A Patient Stay On A Ventilator we need to know why do a patient needs ventilator. Once we know the exact causes of using ventilator we can guess about expected time a patient may stay on mechanical ventilator.
What Is A Ventilator?
A machine that helps lungs to work properly is called a medical ventilator. Common names used for this machine are breathing machine, respirator, mechanical ventilator etc.
Ventilator works by pushing air in and out of lungs of patient for proper oxygenation of blood and proper removal of carbon dioxide from blood. A mask is usually fitted for getting proper oxygen into lungs. Sometimes a breathing tube may also be inserted down to throat of patient if condition of patient is more serious.
When A Patient Needs A Medical Ventilator?
A patient with respiratory failure needs a medical ventilator ASAP to get proper oxygen. Respiratory Failure is a condition where patient cannot breath on its own and it is a life threatening condition requiring immediate medical help. If out vital organs like brain, heart, liver, kidneys don’t get proper oxygen they may fail working resulting in death of patient.
Following are some common medical conditions that may result in respiratory failure and may need use of mechanical ventilator:
- Stroke
- Injury to Brain
- Cardiac Arrest
- Asthma
- Collapsed Lung(s)
- Coma
- Overdose of Drugs
- Infection of Lungs
- Infection of Blood (Sepsis)
- Pneumonia
- ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome)
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
- Lou Gehrig’s disease
How Long May A Patient Stay On A Ventilator?
How long do you need to be on a ventilator? Well, this depends on the actual reason (medical condition) patient is suffering from that needs breathing help.
Ventilator Use During Surgery
Sometimes ventilator is used during surgery to make sure breathing is not disrupted during the procedure. In that case patient is usually on ventilator in sedation mode. Depending upon the total duration of surgery, patient may be on ventilator for one to many hours.
Oxygen Saturation Levels and Usage Time of Ventilator
In above lines we have mentioned few common conditions where patient may need mechanical ventilator for breathing help. Once these conditions start improving and patient is able to breath on his own, use of ventilator is gradually decreased and finally removed. Blood oxygen levels of patient are constantly monitored. When condition starts improving, ventilator supply is temporarily removed to check whether patient is maintaining oxygen levels or not. Once patient’s respiration system is working normally, mechanical ventilator is removed.
