Home > Encyclopedia of Surgery > Mechanical Ventilation

Definition

Mechanical ventilation is the use of a mechanical device (machine) to inflate and deflate the lungs.

Purpose

Mechanical ventilation provides the force needed to deliver air to the lungs in a patient whose own ventilatory abilities are diminished or lost.

Description

Breathing requires the movement of air into and out of the lungs. This is normally accomplished by the diaphragm and chest muscles. A variety of medical conditions can impair the ability of these muscles to accomplish this task, including:

• muscular dystrophies
• motor neuron disease, including ALS
• damage to the brain's respiratory centers
• polio
• myasthenia gravis
• myopathies affecting...