Multi-Patient Respiratory Ventilator with Individualized Pressure & Volume

MU inventors have designed a device and methods to enable multi-patient respiratory ventilation using a single ventilator, with individualized control over ventilation pressure and volume, and no risk of cross contamination between patients.

Background

Current respiratory ventilation systems are bulky and designed for use by one patient at a time. In times of crisis or unexpected demand, such as those seen in war and pandemics, demand for ventilators can far exceed the capacity provided using standard one ventilator/patient protocols. During these times an urgent need emerges to ventilate more than one patient per ventilator. Many attempts to solve this problem have failed due to the complexity presented by the unique ventilation requirements of each patient. A simple splitting of the ventilator output doesn’t suffice, as it presents volume and pressure complications, as well a risks of cross contamination.

The novel ventilation system designed at the University of Missouri accounts for these individualized patient needs, enabling full control over volume and pressure delivered to each of many patients being treated with a single ventilator. It is also designed to prevent cross contamination between patients.

Applications

• Sterile, individualized, multi-patient respiratory ventilation

Advantages

• Can be used to repurpose most standard ventilators to accommodate several patients per ventilator
• Cost-effective

State of Development: Preclinical; prototype has been built

Additional Details