Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Ventilatory Assistance Devices

Definition

Ventilatory assistance devices are mechanical devices that help a person breathe by replacing some or all of the muscular effort required to inflate the lungs.

Description

Ventilation is the process of inflating and deflating the lungs in order to breathe. Normally, a person uses several sets of muscles to accomplish this—the diaphragm at the base of the lungs, the muscles between the ribs (intercostals), and, to a small extent, the muscles of the lower neck and shoulder area. When these muscles are weakened through disease or injury, the ability to ventilate is impaired. As a result, a person cannot get sufficient oxygen into, and carbon dioxide out of, the lungs in order to maintain appropriate levels in the blood. In addition, weakened ventilation muscles also impair the ability to cough, which is an essential part of clearing lung secretions and preventing infection.

Ventilatory assistance...