What is the Porta Lung?

The Porta Lung is a negative pressure respirator which is in the shape of a cylinder. The cylinder is made of fiberglass and it is run by a computerized pump. The cylinder is attached to the pump by a vacuum-like hose where the pump takes ambient air from the room and pumps it through the hose into the cylinder. The air goes around inside the cylinder and into the patient's lungs (the lungs expand and the diaphragm compresses at inhalation); then the air goes out through the hose (the lungs contract and the diaphragm expands at exhalation).