How does ICU help patients who cannot breathe for themselves?

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) provides comprehensive medical care and support to patients who require close monitoring and specialized treatments due to severe illnesses or critical medical conditions. When patients are unable to breathe for themselves, the ICU can offer various forms of respiratory support to help them breathe effectively. Here are some methods used in the ICU to assist patients with respiratory insufficiency:

Mechanical Ventilation:

1. Endotracheal Intubation: A breathing tube (endotracheal tube) is inserted into the trachea through the mouth or nose to deliver oxygen directly into the patient's lungs.

2. Tracheostomy: A breathing tube is surgically inserted into the trachea through an incision in the neck, usually for long-term mechanical ventilation.

3. Oxygen Therapy: Supplemental oxygen is provided through various methods such as nasal cannulas, face masks, or mechanical ventilators to increase the oxygen concentration in the blood.

Non-Invasive Ventilation:

1. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): A CPAP machine delivers constant positive pressure to the airways through a mask to keep alveoli open, assisting breathing.

2. Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP): Similar to CPAP, but BiPAP provides two different pressure levels during inhalation and exhalation, supporting the patient's respiratory efforts.

Mechanical Ventilators:

Advanced mechanical ventilators are used to assist or completely control the patient's breathing. Various settings and modes can be adjusted to tailor the ventilation to the patient's specific needs. ICU medical teams continually monitor vital parameters, blood oxygen levels, and respiratory efforts to adapt and optimize ventilator settings.

Monitoring and Management:

- Pulse Oximetry: Continuously monitors blood oxygen saturation (SpO2).

- Arterial Blood Gas Analysis: Regularly measures oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH levels in arterial blood to assess respiratory function and the effectiveness of respiratory support.

- Capnography: Monitors carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in exhaled breath to evaluate ventilation and detect potential respiratory compromise.

Intensive respiratory care in the ICU involves expertise, coordination, and teamwork among healthcare professionals, including pulmonologists, intensivists, and critical care nurses, to provide personalized respiratory support, monitor progress, and manage any complications or changes in the patient's condition.