What are the medical applications of air?

In the medical field, the application of air (including ordinary air, compressed air and special gases) runs through multiple links such as diagnosis, treatment, equipment drive and environmental control. The following are specific application scenarios and technical details:

1. Respiratory support and life support

• ventilator and Oxygen Therapy
  • positive pressure ventilation is provided to patients by compressed air or oxygen, and respiratory failure, ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), etc.
  • Hyperbaric oxygen chamber: Used for carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene, hypoxic brain damage, etc., to accelerate tissue repair through high concentrations of oxygen.
• Neonatal care

  • continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome to avoid lung collapse.

2. Anesthesia and analgesia management

• gas anesthesia
  • nitrous oxide (laughing gas) mix with oxygen for mild analgesia or induction of anesthesia.
  • volatile anesthetics: Such as isoflurane, sevoflurane, mixed with compressed air/oxygen through a precision evaporator to achieve general anesthesia.
• local anesthesia aid

  • compressed air-driven nebulizers for precise delivery of local anesthetics (such as lidocaine).

3. Surgery and Interventional Therapy

• pneumoperitoneum machine
  • in laparoscopic surgery, pneumoperitoneum is established by compressing CO₂, expanding the surgical field of view and reducing bleeding.
• Laser and Electrosurgical Equipment
  • compressed air cools surgical instruments (such as electric knife, laser head) to prevent tissue thermal damage.
• vascular intervention

  • use CO₂ gas to dilate blood vessels to aid in stent delivery or thrombus clearance.

4. Disinfection and sterilization technology

• gas sterilization
  • hydrogen peroxide plasma low temperature sterilization endoscopes, precision instruments, non-toxic residue.
  • Ethylene oxide: Used for instruments that are not resistant to high temperature and humidity (such as catheters, implants).
• air purification

  • laminar clean room: 99.97% of 0.3 μm particles were removed by high efficiency filtration (HEPA) to ensure the sterile environment of transplant surgery and burn ward.

5. Diagnostic and monitoring equipment

• blood gas analysis
  • measure the partial pressure of O₂, CO₂ and pH in the blood to assess respiratory and metabolic function.
• pulmonary function test
  • after the patient inhales a metered amount of gas (e. g., helium), the airflow rate and lung volume are analyzed by sensors.
• End-respiratory CO₂ monitoring

  • in emergency or general anesthesia surgery, real-time monitoring of respiratory efficiency.

6. Laboratory and Research Applications

• cell culture
  • the CO₂ incubator provides a 5% CO₂ environment to maintain cell pH stability.
• low temperature biology
  • liquid nitrogen (-196°C) preserves cells, tissues and biological samples.
• gas chromatographic analysis

  • detection of volatile anesthetic concentrations or metabolites in the blood.

7. Drug therapy and drug delivery system

• atomization therapy
  • compressed air or oxygen drives a nebulizer that converts medication (such as budesonide) into an aerosol to treat asthma or COPD.
• aerosol administration

  • drug powder (such as insulin) is delivered to the lungs or nasal cavity by high-pressure gas.

8. First aid and resuscitation equipment

• airbag mask ventilation
  • in an emergency, oxygen is provided to the patient by manually squeezing the airbag.
• Defibrillator and AED

  • some devices use compressed air to drive the electrode to fit the skin to optimize conductivity.

9. Rehabilitation Treatment

• negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT)
  • reduce the risk of infection by promoting chronic wound healing with controlled negative pressure.
• respiratory muscle training

  • enhance diaphragmatic function by adjusting respiratory resistance devices (such as threshold loaders).

10. Special treatment techniques

• carbon monoxide therapy
  • low-dose CO gas is used to protect organ transplantation and reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury.
• Heliox Dive Therapy

  • used in the rehabilitation of decompression sickness (such as diver's disease).

Technology Trends

• precise gas control: Real-time monitoring of gas concentration, temperature and humidity through IoT sensors to ensure treatment safety.
• green sterilization technology: Development of low-temperature plasma sterilization with non-toxic residues as an alternative to traditional chemical methods.
• miniaturized equipment: Portable oxygen concentrator, wearable breath monitor, improve home medical convenience.

The application of air in medical treatment is not limited to life support. Its precise regulation and interdisciplinary (such as material science and electronic engineering) are promoting the development of medical technology to a more efficient and safe direction.