Advances in technology should continue to create ventilators that are smaller, more user friendly, and easily adaptable to the pre-hospital environment.

Mechanical ventilators have evolved significantly in the last decade. Advances in technology, as well as an increased understanding of the physiology and effects of mechanical ventilation have had a profound impact on ventilator use.

Ventilators are used in many clinical areas including operating rooms, emergency departments, critical care transport units, and air medical transports. Smaller, user-friendly portable ventilators show great potential for more widespread use in the prehospital setting, including 911 responding ambulances.