A ventilator has an inspiratory unit and an expiratory valve for regulating a flow of breathing gas and a control unit for controlling the inspiratory unit and the expiratory valve. In order to facilitate the opening of collapsed alveoli in the lungs, the control unit controls the inspiratory unit and the expiratory valve to generate a recruitment phase with an elevated basic pressure for the flow of breathing gas upon which a number of breaths is superimposed at a faster breathing rate.
1. A ventilator comprising:
an inspiratory unit;
an expiratory valve;
a control unit for controlling said inspiratory unit and said expiratory valve to regulate a flow of breathing gas by generating a recruitment phase with an elevated basic pressure for said breathing gas, with a plurality of breaths superimposed on said elevated basic pressure and an increased breathing rate with no withdrawal of said breathing gas.
2. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control unit controls said inspiratory unit and said expiratory valve to produce said elevated basic pressure in a range from 10 to 80 cmH 2 O.
3. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control unit controls said inspiratory unit and said expiratory valve to generate said superimposed breaths at a pressure in a range from 1 to 10 cmH 2 O.
4. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control unit controls said inspiratory unit and said expiratory valve to generate said increased breathing rate in a range from 50 to 200 breaths/minute.
5. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control unit controls said inspiratory unit and said expiratory valve to set said increased breathing rate as a percentage of a predetermined normal breathing rate.
6. A ventilator as claimed in claim 5 wherein said control unit sets said percentage to a percentage in a range between 110% and 1000%.
7. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control unit controls said inspiratory unit and said expiratory valve to generate said recruitment phase for a duration in a range between 100 to 100 seconds.