SwasthVayu: Clinical trials of desi ventilator at Bengaluru hospitals soon
BENGALURU: SwasthVayu, the first Indian-made non-invasive ventilator, will begin clinical trials at Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru. It is developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bengaluru, in collaboration with Dr Satyanarayana Mysore, HOD, Pulmonology Respiratory & Sleep Medicine, Lung Transplant Physician at Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru, and Dr Anurag Agarwal, Director of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology.
Currently non-invasive ventilators are imported by India. Given the pandemic, SwasthVayu is expected to cater to patients requiring respiratory support. The portable ventilator is equipped with advanced features like Bi-level mode, Continuous Positive Airway Mode, Spontaneous modes and 3D printed HEPA-T filter adapter connected directly to the non-ventilated mask.
“Instead of an invasive ventilator, a tight fitting mask will be placed over the patient’s nose and mouth. Air pressure will expand the lungs and also aid in breathing. It can be readily used on patients with unsatisfactory breathing. We started work in February and it took two months to develop the prototype,” Dr Mysore said.
Imported non-invasive ventilators cost between Rs 60,000 and Rs 1 lakh, but this will cost half the price, he said. Apart from Covid patients, these ventilators can benefit patients suffering from other respiratory disorders. “The respiratory valve has a filter, so when the person breathes out, the viral particles will be trapped and won’t spread to health workers,” he added.