A research team in Leeds has come up with a way of creating a ventilatory system for COVID-19 patients that can be made rapidly on a 3D printer.
It is a low-tech solution based on a redesign of Venturi valve. The valve does not need electricity and has no moving parts; it could be made in countries without access to advanced manufacturing facilities.
The repurposed device delivers increased flow and pressure. The device produces an effect similar to that seen with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
Dr Tom Lawton, Consultant in Critical Care and Anaesthesia at Bradford Teaching Hospitals, who collaborated on the project, said: “We are already seeing that treating Covid-19 patients with CPAP can help avoid the need for ventilators and intensive care; the key is to do this in a resource-efficient way.”
“Devices like this venturi valve could be a key to expanding the use of CPAP across the globe,” he said.
However, caution should be exercised in interpreting the results as the research has not yet been peer-reviewed and the remodelled device is subject to regulatory approval.
