A case study of a DSP chip for on-line monitoring and control in anaesthesia

This chapter presents a case study of computer-aided instrumentation for on-line measurement and control in the area of critical care medicine. The system has been initially developed to test the hypothesis that acoustic resonance of the respiratory airways represents an optimal state for alveolar gas exchange. high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) is a recognised form of mechanical ventilatory support that is used in both anaesthesia and critical care medicine. The technique differs from conventional modes of ventilatory support in both its relative tidal volume and respiratory rate. Several studies have shown that HFJV is capable of maintaining adequate gas exchange in cases where conventional methods have either failed or proved to be impractical. The main advantages of HFJV include lower peak and mean airway pressures, a reduction in pulmonary barotrauma and less disturbance to cardiovascular function.