Ask a doctor - What is intubated vs ventilator?

Q. What is intubated vs ventilator?

Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.

Answered by Secondmedic Expert

When someone is intubated, it means a tube has been inserted into their airway through their mouth or nose. This tube helps them breathe when they're unable to do so effectively on their own. There are various reasons why someone might need to be intubated, like severe illness, anesthesia during surgery, or after a major injury.

On the other hand, a ventilator is a machine that helps with breathing. It's connected to the tube that's been placed in the patient's airway during intubation. The ventilator delivers a controlled flow of air into the lungs, mimicking the natural process of breathing. It's like having a personal air pump for your lungs.

So, when someone is intubated, it means they have a tube in their airway, and when they're on a ventilator, it means they're hooked up to a machine that's helping them breathe through that tube. These measures are often necessary in critical medical situations to support a person's respiratory function when their body can't do it on its own.