University Of Minnesota Doctor Creates Simpler, Cheaper Ventilator - WCCO News

[KewlKat]

54. I just sent a message thru that FB account.

Please get this to your acquisition folks. This is a recent invention by a group of talented staff at Univ of MN. They were featured on CBS earlier this week.

HERE IS THE INFO ON THE VENTILATOR - In response to Covid-19, the University of Minnesota has built a homemade ventilator. This device represents a rapidly scalable opportunity for healthcare providers to provide life sustaining mechanical ventilation to patients for whom no other option currently exists. The mechanical ventilator is simple to use for ICU-trained medical providers, it is compact (the size of a cereal box) and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and distribute. This device does not require a pressurized oxygen or air supply unlike commercially available mechanical ventilators. He said they could produce thousands in 3 wks if they can get the FDA to approve.

Dr. Richardson acknowledges, "This is not a ventilator that anyone would choose if they had a high-end alternative, but it could be a backup, or its plans could be distributed online so hospitals could build their own."

These ventilators are designed to be used under very specific circumstances, i.e., where bag-valve mask (BVM) ventilation is not contraindicated and where trained medical staff can supervise the machine. If BVM is the only available option due to a shortage of more sophisticated ventilators, this will be an option. Human-administered BVM ventilation is not going to be possible with the expected volume of patients, and with the possible need to ventilate them 24/7 for days.