| abstract |
The present invention relates to a control unit(5A-C) for controlling the operation of either or both of a first and second apparatus (3, 4) of which one is a ventilator (4) for providing a respiratory treatment to a subject (7) by supplying a breathing gas to the lungs of the subject, and the other is a lung assist device (3) for providing an extracorporeal lung assist [ECLA] treatment to the subject (7) by generating a flow of blood from the subject, oxygenating the blood, and returning the oxygen-enriched blood to the subject. The control unit is configured to generate a control signal controlling the operation of the second apparatus in response to a control parameter obtained by the first apparatus. Thereby, the control unit can coordinate the respiratory treatment and the ECLA treatment so as to provide the patient with effective but yet lenient ventilatory support. |