WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

*Dr. T. Rajini Samuel M.D

ABSTRACT

Ventilator Graphics Interpretation plays a significant role at the bedside for monitoring of mechanical ventilation. The basic mathematical model of breathing mechanics using the Equation of Motion for the respiratory system or the force balance equation consider the respiratory system as a single compartment model and the parameters like pressure, volume and flow are all continuous functions of time. Time constant is an engineering concept applied in medical field and it is relevant when modelling a process using exponential functions. The change in lung volume during inspiration and expiration is due to the variation in pressure but the process is a time consuming process. The time constant describes the speed of this process specifying how much time is required to inhale adequate tidal volume during inspiration and to exhale the tidal volume during expiration. The physical concepts of pressure gradient, resistance, compliance, frequency, tidal volume, flow and work done are required to understand the basics of mechanical ventilation. The study discuss in detail the derivation, application and relationship of time constant with other parameters in mechanical ventilation and concludes that time constant plays a significant role in understanding of the mechanical ventilation that helps in the interpretation of ventilator graphics.

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