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iron lung |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.03 sec. |
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iron lung, device used to maintain artificial respiration artificial respiration, any measure that causes air to flow in and out of a person's lungs when natural breathing is inadequate or ceases, as in respiratory paralysis, drowning, electric shock, choking, gas or smoke inhalation, or poisoning. ..... Click the link for more information. over an extended period of time. Before the successful vaccination program against poliomyelitis, it was used mostly in treatment of that disease. Currently, its main usage is in cases where the respiration control center of the brain has been damaged (e.g. skull fractures, brain tumors and stroke) or where the diaphragm is paralyzed by spinal cord disease or injury. Invented (1928) by Philip Drinker, the iron lung is composed of a cylindrical steel drum, which encloses the entire body with only the head exposed. A rubber diaphragm makes the cylinder airtight without putting undue pressure on the neck. Pumps raise and lower the pressure within the chamber. A number of problems exist with the iron lung machine; food or vomit may be aspirated into the lungs, and serious skin ulcers may develop in a patient who is immobilized for long periods of time. iron lung an airtight metal cylinder enclosing the entire body up to the neck and providing artificial respiration when the respiratory muscles are paralysed, as by poliomyelitis How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Images of iron lungs and children in braces served as the backdrop to a monumental search for a cure. But as polio sufferers died and newer, more portable respiratory devices were developed, the number of people in iron lungs dwindled. Equipment Presumptively Medical - Items such as hospital beds, wheel-chairs, haemodialysis equipment, iron lungs, respirators, intermittent positive pressure breathing machines, medical regulators, oxygen tents, crutches, canes, trapeze bars, walkers, inhalators, nebulizers, commodes, suction machines and traction equipment presumptively constitute medical equipment. |
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