Mechanical ventilation

Non-invasive ventilation is gaining acceptance around the world as the preferred choice of treatment⁵ over invasive ventilation. Suitable for patients in the hospital or the home, non-invasive ventilation: 

Makes day-to-day activities easier. Effective NIV therapy can help patients use more of their lung capacity. This in turn decreases the work of breathing,⁴ making routine activities easier. 

Helps alleviate a range of symptoms. Morning headaches, daytime fatigue and shortness of breath are just some of the daytime symptoms that may occur due to low levels of oxygen or accumulated carbon dioxide. By helping to normalize CO₂ and O₂ levels in the body, non-invasive ventilation therapy helps relieve symptoms over time to improve the patient’s quality of life.³ 

May reduce time in hospital and prevent disease from worsening. Patients treated with non-invasive ventilation therapy tend to spend less time in the hospital.³ By ensuring adequate ventilation, NIV patients may be able to avoid respiratory failure. Often prescribed for in-home treatment, NIV therapy is both convenient and effective. 

Conditions treated with non-invasive ventilation 

Your patient may need the help of a ventilator to breathe as a result of a medical condition such as: 

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with emphysema and/or bronchitis 
• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS)   
• Neuromuscular disease (NMD)   
• Chest wall disorders 
• Breathing impairment due to a spinal cord injury 

There are two tubes used for invasive mechanical ventilation:

• Standard endotracheal tube (ET) – inserted via the nose or mouth, the standard ET provides a secure airway when the balloon on the cuff is inflated and sealed, and is mostly used in adult patients with acute respiratory failure; pediatric patients can benefit from uncuffed ET.⁷
• Tracheostomy tube –inserted via a stoma, a surgically-created opening in the trachea, the tracheostomy tube is used for patients who need long-term mechanical ventilation, and exists with cuffed and uncuffed options; cuffed tracheostomy tubes seals the airway to control mechanical ventilation, while deflated cuffs or cuffless tubes may be introduced when the patient is more stable.

Invasive ventilation may be used during acute respiratory failure, weaning and for chronic respiratory failure when non-invasive ventilation is impossible to manage correctly. It can also be used as a means to maintain a patient’s airway during a surgical procedure, such as intubation done in the ICU.

Whether it is used in a hospital setting or at home (home mechanical ventilation), invasive mechanical ventilation is paired with ventilation technology that continuously facilitates oxygen exchange/carbon dioxide exchange.⁸ At ResMed, we provide devices with several modes that use the latest technology for the most comfortable and effective therapy.