Mechanical ventilators have played an important, if controversial, role in the treatment of patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—helping critically ill persons breathe in the near term, but with potentially harmful trade-offs for lung function over the long term. For COVID-19 patients the possibility of long-term harm is only beginning to surface, raising questions about how ventilators work and why they pose a risk to patients.
Mechanical ventilators are automated machines that do the work of breathing for patients who are unable to use their lungs. Ventilators commonly are used when patients are experiencing severe shortness of breath, such as that caused by respiratory infection or by conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They may also be used in persons with traumatic brain injury or stroke, when the nervous system is no longer able to control breathing.
Ventilators work by delivering oxygen directly to the lungs, and they can also be programmed to pump out carbon dioxide for patients who are unable to exhale on their own. The ventilator delivers oxygen via a tube that is inserted through the patient’s nose or mouth in a procedure known as intubation or that is placed directly into the trachea, or windpipe, in a surgical procedure known as tracheostomy. The opposite end of the tube is connected to a machine (the ventilator) that pumps a mixture of air and oxygen through the tube and into the lungs. The air is warmed and humidified before it goes into the body. The ventilator further plays a vital role in maintaining positive air pressure to help prevent small air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs from collapsing.
Ventilators are set to pump air into the lungs a certain number of times per minute. The patient’s heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure are monitored constantly. Doctors and nurses use this information to asses the patient’s health and to make necessary adjustments to the ventilator. When a patient shows signs of recovery from infection or injury, the doctor may decide to begin the process of ventilator weaning, a trial in which the patient is given a chance to breathe on his or her own but is still connected to the ventilator in case it is needed. Once a patient is weaned from the ventilator, the breathing tube is removed.
Ventilators are not cures for infection, and their use poses serious risks to patients. While on a ventilator, patients are unable to cough and clear potentially infectious agents from their airways. As a result, some patients develop ventilator-associated pneumonia, in which bacteria enter the lungs. Sinus infections can also occur. Other problems include oxygen toxicity and excess air pressure, which can cause significant damage to lung tissue. In addition, the longer a person is on a ventilator, the greater the degree of respiratory muscle atrophy that will occur. This can make it difficult for patients to breathe on their own. Activities like climbing stairs or even walking short distances may become impossible, resulting in long-term disability and reduced quality of life.