THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Here’s a good news for health workers fighting the Covid-19. A hand-held emergency ventilator developed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) will be available in the market in a few weeks’ time. “Our team developed the prototype in just a week. Initial testing was successful. We have tied up with the Bengaluru-based Wipro 3D for the clinical trial and manufacture of the system based on Artificial Manual Breathing Unit (AMBU),” said SCTIMST director Dr Asha Kishore.
The AMBU bag or a bag-valve-mask (BVM) is a hand-held device used to provide positive pressure ventilation to patients with breathing difficulties. But a drawback of the normal AMBU bag is that it needs a bystander to operate it and hence is non-advisable for treating a Covid-19 patient. The Sree Chitra has developed an automated AMBU ventilator which can be used for critical patients with no access to ICU ventilators. This can be used for patients in the low or intermediary categories. High intensity cases would however require a normal ventilator.
The SCTIMST has made use of readily available components that will keep the price low and quicken the manufacturing, said to Dr Asha Kishore. The institute spent `15,000 to develop the prototype. “In this alarming situation, a handy artificial manual breathing unit (AMBU) will be highly useful. SCTIMST has a long tradition of developing and commercialising needy medical devices. We have risen to the occasion this time too,” Dr Asha Kishore said. The development team led by Sarath, Nagesh and Vinod Kumar included personnel from the Artificial Organs Division, the Biomedical Technology Wing and hospital’s department of anaesthesia.
It is learnt that the production of the low-cost device would start after two weeks. Technology
The portable and the lightweight device enables positive pressure ventilation with a controlled rate of expiration, Inspiratory to Expiratory Ratio, Tidal Volume etc. Also A PEEP (Positive End Expiratory Pressure) Valve can be added as an extra component to maintain pressure on the lower airways at the end of the breathing cycle which prevents the alveoli from collapsing during expiration. A compressed gas source can also be attached to the system. The automatic device will minimise the need of support personnel in the isolation room thereby enabling a safer, lung-protective operation.
Call 101 for Covid-19 emergencies
T’Puram: The Fire and Rescue Services is offering emergency services to public in the wake of lockdown. Those in need of food, medicine or hospital travel can call 101 or 9497920017, 0471-2333101. Round-the-clock control rooms have been setup in Attingal and Neyyattinkara stations and can be contacted on 0470 2622000 and 0471-2222101 respectively.