A System for Emergency Care Ventilator Control

Abstract

Closed-loop control of mechanical ventilators could have a positive impact on pre-hospital patient care. Several methods to achieve this goal have been researched. A current method entitled Adaptive Volume ventilation is being studied in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Utah Health Science Center. Preliminary clinical trials using the work of breathing model have shown that optimal settings for respiratory rate are significantly higher and optimal settings for tidal volume are significantly lower than those set by clinicians. Measured respiratory rate and tidal volumes were 9.7+/-1.4 bpm and 8.9+/-1.9 ml/kg, respectively. Optimal ventilator settings were calculated to be 19.3+/-3.5 bpm for respiratory rate and 5.3+/-1.3 ml/kg for tidal volume. Using these settings would decrease the work of breathing from 6.9+/-1.4 Joules/min of work to 4.6+/-2.1 Joules/min of work. clinical trials to investigate the effects these settings have on patients\u27 blood gas concentration are currently underway. This type of controller has several applications in both civilian and military health systems, including use in the space program