ResQvent: A Practical Solution for Addressing the Needs of Mechanical Ventilation in Low Resource and Income Healthcare Settings

Abstract

Respiratory emergencies are common and can require intensive management with complex medical equipment. Experiences from global pandemics such as Coronavirus disease-2019 have shown collapse of healthcare infrastructure and spikes in mortality because of shortage of critical equipment, such as mechanical ventilators, especially in under resourced settings. In this article, we present a brief review of medical literature regarding established and readily available blueprints for ventilator systems. We also present our design relevant to under resourced areas called the ResQvent, which is a portable artificial manual breathing unit add-on device that can be automated to allow cyclical compression of the bag to provide adequate ventilation according to standard recommendations for infants, children and adults. Powered by 220-240 V electrical supply, this 18x8x8 inches, extremely portable device can prove to be a game changer in providing temporary automated ventilation at a reasonable cost. ResQvent has been successfully bench tested for accuracy on simulation software. With the continued motivation arising from the pandemic, we assume similar projects will attract attention; however, efforts are still required to design policies and arrange dependable financial resources for the creation and evaluation of open-source ventilators.

Keywords

• covid-19
• respiratory emergencies
• prototype
• ventilator