Non-Invasive Ventilator (NIV)

* Pressure Delivery:

1) Provides CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) to stent open airways.

2) Delivers BiPAP/BPAP (Bilevel Pressure) with adjustable IPAP (inspiratory support) and EPAP (expiratory pressure) to augment breathing effort and maintain airway patency.

3) Offers Pressure Support (PS) during patient-initiated breaths to reduce work of breathing.

4) Advanced models feature Volume-Assured modes (e.g., AVAPS) to guarantee minimum ventilation.

* Respiratory Support:

1) Improves Oxygenation (O₂): Increases alveolar recruitment and reduces shunting.

2) Reduces Hypercapnia (CO₂): Augments minute ventilation and flushes dead space.

3) Unloads Respiratory Muscles: Decreases diaphragmatic effort and fatigue.

* Patient Synchronization:

Uses flow/pressure sensors and algorithms to detect patient triggers (start of breath) and cycle (end of breath), adapting to spontaneous breathing patterns even with leaks.

* Oxygen Supplementation:

Allows precise blending of supplemental oxygen (FiO₂ adjustment) into the delivered air stream.

* Monitoring & Safety:

1) Tracks respiratory rate, tidal volume, leak levels, and oxygen saturation (with integrated oximetry).

2) Features alarms for apnea, high/low pressure, disconnection, and power failure.

Key Advantages (vs. Invasive Mechanical Ventilation):

* Preserves Natural Airways:

1) No endotracheal tube or tracheostomy needed → maintains speech, swallowing, and cough reflex.

2) Reduces risk of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) – a major ICU complication.

* Enhanced Patient Comfort & Tolerance:

1) Less sedation required; patients can communicate, eat, and drink (intermittently).

2) Lower risk of airway trauma (e.g., vocal cord injury, tracheal stenosis).

* Reduced Complications & Costs:

1) Avoids complications of intubation (e.g., laryngeal injury, sinusitis).

2) Often usable outside ICUs (wards, home), lowering hospitalization costs.

* Flexibility & Accessibility:

1) Enables early intervention in respiratory distress.

2) Facilitates weaning from invasive ventilation.

3) Suitable for long-term home use (e.g., COPD, neuromuscular diseases).

 * Infection Control:

Critical for immunocompromised patients (e.g., post-transplant, oncology) – avoids breaching airway defenses.

* Palliative Care Utility:

Effectively manages dyspnea in end-stage respiratory disease while respecting patient comfort goals.

In Summary:
NIV delivers essential ventilatory support through a mask interface, performing critical functions like pressure modulation, oxygenation, and CO₂ clearance. Its standout advantages include avoiding intubation risks, improving patient comfort, lowering infection rates, and enabling versatile use across acute and chronic settings – making it a cornerstone of modern respiratory care.