How To Properly Use A Home Ventilator?
When it comes to ventilators, do you think of the bulky, large ventilators in hospitals?
In fact, the current ventilators are not only used in hospitals. With the development of technology, more and more ventilators with good performance, complete functions and reasonable prices have entered family life.
As a medical device to improve respiratory function, reduce respiratory consumption, and save heart reserve, ventilator can not only help patients with respiratory diseases save family expenses, but also reduce hospital pressure when used at home.
#1 How a Ventilator Works
The ventilator generally works by using the pressure difference of the gas. When the ventilator is ventilating, the mechanical drive makes the airway pressure greater than the alveolar pressure, and the gas enters the lungs. When the external mechanical drive pressure is removed, the thorax and lungs elastically retract, the alveolar pressure is greater than the airway pressure, and the gas is discharged from the lungs.
From this we can see that in the process of human respiration, the ventilator can only enhance the pulmonary ventilation function, that is, it works in the external respiration part, but has little effect on the internal respiration, that is, the effect on the gas exchange between the pulmonary capillaries and the alveoli is relatively small. smaller.
#2 Indications for Home Ventilators
When should you consider purchasing a home ventilator? When someone in the household has severe hypoventilation, severe ventilation disturbance, neuromuscular paralysis, after cardiac surgery, increased intracranial pressure, high-dose sedatives requiring respiratory support for neonatal tetanus, asphyxia, CPR, respiratory arrest for any reason, or When it is about to stop and so on, a home ventilator can provide better therapeutic assistance.
#3 Precautions when using a home ventilator
Although the home ventilator is convenient, when it is used for the first time, it is necessary to pay attention to whether the patient will experience discomfort. If there is discomfort, the mask and parameters should be adjusted in time, and psychological guidance should be given to the patient to reduce the patient's discomfort.
While using the ventilator, if the patient has a dry mouth, the discomfort can be relieved by drinking more water. When using it, you should try to breathe through your nose, close your mouth, and talk less to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort or air leakage.
#4 Disinfection of Home Ventilators
When using a home ventilator, in order to ensure the hygiene of the instrument, it is best to clean the mask once a day, and clean the filter and tubing every three days.
When there is no obvious stain on the surface of the instrument, it can be wiped with clean water; if there are stains or blood stains, it can be wiped with a chlorine-containing disinfectant.
The nasal (face) mask should be wiped with 75% alcohol and then wiped clean with water.
For the pipeline on the ventilator, it can be soaked in chlorine-containing disinfection water for 30 minutes, then rinsed with running water, and dried for use.
The headband can be cleaned with detergent and then rinsed with clean water.