The goal is to treat the underlying condition and keep the patient alive and breathing. Mechanical Ventilation Keeping the patient alive usually requires mechanical ventilation. The level of oxygen in the blood drops rapidly and to dangerously low levels, causing damage to vital organs and body processes. If the oxygen level is not brought up quickly and maintained at adequate levels, the damage, including severe brain damage, can be irreversible.
Mechanical ventilation keeps the level of oxygen at life-sustaining levels.
Once breathing is stabilized and blood is reoxygenated, the underlying condition is treated. If the condition is pneumonia or a septic infection, for example, the patient is treated with antibiotics. Positive Pressure Ventilation Mechanical ventilators deliver oxygen-rich air to the lungs and remove carbon dioxide from the body. The technique, also known as positive pressure ventilation , usually involves inserting an endotracheal tube into the trachea through the mouth or nose. The endotracheal tube passes through the upper airways, between the vocal cords, and into the trachea.