Respiratory devices device components

BS6929 Respiratory protective devices (component nomenclature). 

This chapter provides an overview of the structure and function of mechanical ventilators. Mechanical ventilators, which are often also called respirators, are used to artificially ventilate the lungs of patients who are unable to breathe naturally from the atmosphere. In almost 105 years of development, many mechanical ventilators with different designs have been manufactured (MacIntyre and Branson, 2009). Very early devices used bellows that were manually operated to inflate the lungs. Today s respirators employ an array of sophisticated components, such as microprocessors, fast-response servo valves, and precision transducers to mechanically ventilate the incapacitated patients. Large varieties of ventilators are now available for short-term treatment of acute respiratory dysfunction as well as long-term therapy for chronic respiratory conditions. 

It is not possible in this space to describe all respiratory measurements and devices. However, those that have been described do represent some of those most commonly encountered in routine clinical and research applications. Commercially available systems, complete with software and printers, make easy work of performing these common measurements in the usual manner, and are constructed with components as described above. Often, however, these systems are ill suited to making measurements that differ, even only slightly, ftom common practice. Thus, an understanding of their function may benefit both the researcher and the clinician. 

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