Oxygen Concentrators and Ventilators

Oxygen concentrators and Ventilators are extremely important in the medical field. We frequently hear stories about patients forced to stay on ventilators during surgery or undergoing other therapies. At the same time, oxygen concentrators are required for people with severe respiratory illnesses such as COPD. People who have been impacted and have difficulty breathing necessitate ventilators.

Not only is the pandemic to blame for this sharp rise, but there are a lot of other factors that have resulted in a high number of people suffering from severe breathing problems. And we’re intrigued when we learn that these machines are employed in such big numbers all across the world. So, if you want to learn everything there is to know about ventilators and oxygen concentrators, we’ve put up a quick guide to assist you. Let’s look at what ventilators and oxygen concentrators are and the differences. Then we’ll understand why they’re so vital and popular.

Purpose of a ventilator

A ventilator, often known as a breathing machine, is a device that aids in the breathing process. It aids in delivering oxygen to the lungs and makes breathing easier for people with respiratory illnesses. Ventilators are frequently used during surgery or in situations where a patient has been given anesthesia and may find it difficult to breathe without one. Ventilators, commonly known as respirators, are primarily utilized in intensive care units.

Ventilator working:

A ventilator operates on the principle of air pressure. It is a machine that breathes air into the lungs and allows for proper breathing even when someone has a severe respiratory disease and is undergoing surgery. When a patient has the respiratory disease and cannot inhale or exhale effectively, a ventilator employs positive pressure to force air into their lungs and extract air from them, allowing the breathing process to be carried out correctly.

The machine is equipped with a monitor that can regulate the amount of oxygen given to a patient. The ventilator has an alert that sounds when a patient has significant respiratory issues. This alarm notifies the operator or clinician that the ventilator pressure has to be increased.

Different sections of a ventilator work together to support breathing, and a patient may utilize a mask or breathing tubes depending on the severity of the condition.

The use of a ventilator is intrusive.

Through the mouth and throat, a tube is inserted into the lungs. The tube’s opposite end connects to a machine that pumps air into and out of the lungs. A ventilator simulates breathing and assists in breathing so that the patient can rest and heal. To accommodate the demands of specific patients, the machine has a plethora of settings that can be altered to change lung pressures, oxygen concentrations, breath length and frequency, and so on.

Oxygen Concentrators

A patient’s body is starved of oxygen when they have severe difficulties breathing or an issue like a complete respiratory system failure. Their body may not conduct the functions properly in this instance. Oxygen concentrators are utilized to help with the problem. These machines capture oxygen from the air, screening out all other contaminants and providing concentrated oxygen to the patient. It assists the patient by meeting the body’s oxygen requirements.

Oxygen Concentrator working:

We know that the atmosphere contains around 21% oxygen and that this machine filters the oxygen and emits nitrogen. Through a pressure valve, oxygen is gathered and dispensed. This valve controls the flow of oxygen to the nasal cannula. A nasal cannula is a two-part tube inserted into the patient’s nose. This tube aids in the delivery of filtered oxygen to the patient’s lungs.

The oxygen can reach the patient’s lungs in one of two ways. It can be given in puffs or as a continuous flow. The flow method involves brief puffs of oxygen passing through the nasal area, whereas the pulse flow approach involves a continual stream of oxygen passing through the nasal area. An oxygen concentrator, on average, provides 95 percent oxygen. Portable oxygen concentrators are now available and can be purchased for home usage.

Oxygen is delivered in a non-invasive manner.

It does not require any sophisticated machinery or tubes to be inserted into the body because oxygen can be delivered through a face mask or nasal cannula. Oxygen supply adjusts the concentration of oxygen in the air we breathe, allowing us to offer a higher percentage of oxygen to the patient (28 percent, 35 percent, 42 percent. up to 100 percent) instead of the standard 21 percent. The patient, however, is still in charge of their breathing. Unlike a ventilator, oxygen treatment does not help with breathing.

Main differences between oxygen concentrators and ventilators

Ventilators differ from concentrators in several ways. While ventilators drive air into the lungs to allow appropriate breathing, oxygen concentrators guarantee that the person breathing receives the correct amount of oxygen. Ventilators are utilized during surgery, whereas oxygen concentrators may aid patients with disorders such as COPD, cystic fibrosis, and others.

Conclusion

The medical devices listed above are related to respiratory health; their functions vary. Ventilators assist patients with the mechanical act of breathing, while  oxygen concentrators deliver medical-grade oxygen,