How long can people live in an iron lung?
by 
keithold thanks all baggers
ANSWERS: 2
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Indefinitely, though there are other factors which may cause people in such a situation to have shorter lifespans than otherwise. Paralysis and lack of activity can simply cause a more rapid rate of deterioration. The circulatory system requires a pretty constant boost from muscular activity to remain functional for a long time.
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A lifetime. The record belongs to June Middleton of Thornbury, Victoria who died on October 29, 2009, having spent 60 of her 83 years in an iron lung. But there are very few iron lung patients remaining. Positive pressure ventilation systems are more common then negative pressure ventilation systems now, and the only thing keeping the iron lung from being a complete antique is that there are some patients for whom negative pressure ventilation is preferable.
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