Editing Ventilator (section)

{{About|one type of machine used to assist breathing|the broader article, on both positive- and negative-pressure devices|Mechanical ventilation<!-- note: "medical respirator" redirects here mainly due to historical confusion-->|respiratory PPE worn on the face|Respirator|ventilation subjects|Ventilation (disambiguation){{!}}Ventilation}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Short description|Device that provides mechanical ventilation to the lungs}}
{{Infobox medical equipment
| name = Medical ventilator
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| image = Hamilton C6.jpg
| caption = Hamilton C6 Ventilator
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| specialty = Pulmonology
| intervention = 
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A '''ventilator''' is a type of [[breathing apparatus]], a class of [[health technology|medical technology]] that provides [[mechanical ventilation]] by moving breathable air into and out of the [[lungs]], to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently. Ventilators may be [[computer]]ized [[microprocessor control|microprocessor-controlled]] machines, but patients can also be ventilated with a simple, hand-operated [[bag valve mask]].  Ventilators are chiefly used in [[intensive-care medicine]], [[home care]], and [[emergency medicine]] (as standalone units) and in [[anesthesiology]] (as a component of an [[anesthesia machine]]).

Ventilators are sometimes called "respirators", a term commonly used for them in the 1950s (particularly the [[Forrest Bird#Mechanical ventilators|"Bird respirator"]]). However, contemporary medical terminology uses the word "[[respirator]]" to refer to a face-mask that protects wearers against hazardous airborne substances.<ref>
{{cite journal
 |author= Center for Devices and Radiological Health |date= 2019-02-08 |title= Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control - Masks and N95 Respirators
 |journal= FDA 
 |url= https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/GeneralHospitalDevicesandSupplies/PersonalProtectiveEquipment/ucm055977.htm
 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100304192046/http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/GeneralHospitalDevicesandSupplies/PersonalProtectiveEquipment/ucm055977.htm
 |url-status= dead
 |archive-date= March 4, 2010
 |access-date= 2017-03-08
}}
</ref>