Final answer:
Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) in premature infants requires ventilator support due to insufficient pulmonary surfactant production. Ventilators mechanically assist with breathing when the infant's lungs cannot inflate properly, and additional treatments like CPAP and surfactant administration may be necessary.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lesions about Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) require ventilator support for breathing. RDS primarily affects premature infants whose lungs have not yet fully developed, leading to insufficient production of pulmonary surfactant. Without adequate surfactant, the lungs struggle to inflate properly, hampering gas exchange and requiring interventions such as ventilation, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and potentially the administration of pulmonary surfactant. Additionally, the presence of certain bacteria introduced via contaminated ventilators can lead to healthcare-associated infections, further complicating the respiratory condition of patients. In extreme cases, mechanical assistance such as the historic use of the Emerson respiratory (iron lung) has been employed to aid breathing in patients with conditions such as polio.