Intensive Care Units around the world have been providing their patients with mechanical ventilation for the past 30 years, ever since the first electronic ventilator technology appeared in the early seventies. And ventilation therapy, irregardless of mode, has been delivered in the same manner — a clinician has regulated the pressures and volumes provided to the patient.

Many advances have occurred in mechanical ventilators in recent years and these newer technologies are beginning to be incorporated into anesthesia ventilators. This has reduced the differences between intensive care ventilators and anesthesia ventilators.