For investigating the effects of mechanical ventilation on the respiratory system, experiments in small mammal models are used. However, conventional ventilators for small animals are usually limited to a specific ventilation mode, and in particular to passive expiration. Here, we present a computer-controlled research ventilator for small animals which provides conventional mechanical ventilation as well as new type ventilation profiles. Typical profiles of conventional mechanical ventilation, as well as flow-controlled expiration and sinusoidal ventilation profiles can be generated with our new ventilator. Flow control during expiration reduced the expiratory peak flow rate by 73% and increased the mean airway pressure by up to 1 mbar compared with conventional ventilation without increasing peak pressure and end-expiratory pressure. Our new ventilator for small animals allows for the application of various ventilation profiles. We could analyse the effects of applying conventional ventilation profiles, pressure-controlled ventilation and volume-controlled ventilation, as well as the novel flow-controlled ventilation profile. This new approach enables studying the mechanical properties of the respiratory system with an increased freedom for choosing independent ventilation parameters.

中文翻译：

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一种新颖的机械呼吸机，可为小动物提供流量控制的呼气。

为了研究机械通气对呼吸系统的影响，使用了小型哺乳动物模型中的实验。然而，用于小动物的常规通风机通常限于特定的通风模式，尤其是被动呼气。在这里，我们介绍了一种用于小型动物的计算机控制的研究型呼吸机，它可以提供常规的机械通风以及新型的通风方式。我们的新型呼吸机可以生成常规机械通气的典型曲线，以及流量控制的呼气和正弦曲线通气曲线。与传统通气相比，呼气过程中的流量控制使呼气峰值流速降低了73％，平均气道压力增加了高达1 mbar，而没有增加峰值压力和呼气末压力。我们的新型小型动物通风机允许应用各种通风方式。我们可以分析应用常规通风曲线，压力控制通风和体积控制通风以及新型流量控制通风曲线的效果。这种新方法可以研究呼吸系统的机械特性，从而增加了选择独立通风参数的自由度。