If
you are a science student studying human anatomy, you would soon be
introduced to a spirometer. It is a medical instrument that is used
widely in hospitals and diagnostic centers for conducting pulmonary
function tests. Here are 9 important facts about Spirometer that you
must know:
- A spirometer is a medical device that helps measure the volume of air that passes in and out of the lungs. It helps doctors and medical health professionals in measuring the respiratory flow rates.
- The device is used for checking the condition of the patient’s lungs. If the patient is suffering shortness of breath, the spirometer is able to identify that.
- Spirometer helps in early diagnosis of lung-related problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema and allows patients to get the right treatment at the early stage of the disease.
- In 1813, Kentish E made a simple "Plumometer" for studying the effect of diseases on pulmonary lung volume. In 1846, John Hutchinson developed water hydrometer which featured a calibrated bell. The caliberated bell was inverted in water to measure the volume of air exhaled by a person.
- In 1854, an easier to use spirometer was introduced by Wintrich. The first peak flow spirometer came in the year 1902 and was made by Wright B.M and Mc Kerrow
- There are many types of spirometers. Windmill type or the spiropet spirometer helps measure forced vital capacity. It is light in weight and therefore easy to use and carry around.
- Peak flow spirometer is another commonly used spirometer. It is used to measure a person’s ability to breathe out air.
- Incentive Spirometer is used to augment the patient’s functioning of lungs.
- Another type of spirometer is the Whole body spirometer. It provides accurate reading of the amount of air that goes in and comes out of the patient’s lungs. Of the various types of spirometers, this is indeed the most reliable and most widely used.
