To call the new ventilator in the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital “state-of-the-art” may not do it justice.
At least that’s the opinion of Dr. April Blong, clinical associate professor and a clinician in the small animal hospital’s Emergency and Critical Care Services unit.
“One of the coolest things the ventilator has is an entire new mode of ventilation called NAVA or neurally adjusted ventilatory assist,” Blong said. “It can ‘sense’ the signals from the brain to the diaphragm of the patient, allowing the ventilator to match the exact respiratory rate and breath size the patient needs in real time.
“This allows the patient and ventilator to work together better, which is better for the patient.”
Blong says the ventilator, a Servo-U ventilator from Getinge, will be used for the most severe respiratory cases.
“This could be a toxicity case or a patient who has a neurologic problem that prevents them from being able to activate their diaphragm and take a breath,” Blong said. “We have patients that have lung disease so severe they cannot oxygenate their blood well enough with standard oxygen therapy or who become worn out from working so hard to breathe.”
The new Servo-U ventilator replaces a 20-year-old model that while is still functional, doesn’t have all the bells and whistles the new version has. The new ventilator also has more treatment strategies available.
“The new model is much more sensitive and precise than our older version,” Blong said. The Servo-U ventilator’s purchase was made possible through private donor support to the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital through the Iowa State University Foundation.
This is an example of the impact private support can have on the lives of the patients and people of the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center. Individuals wishing to learn how to make a difference can contact Rachael Rail, director of development for the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Compassionate Client Giving Program at rrail@foundation.iastate.edu.
September 2024