Individualized System for Augmenting Ventilator Efficacy (iSAVE): A Rapidly deployable system to expand ventilator capacity

Shriya Srinivasan; Khalil Ramadi; Franceso Vicario; Declan Gwynne; Alison Hayward; Robert Langer; Joseph Frassica; Rebecca Baron; Giovanni Traverso

By titrating flow with the valve, we restored VT distribution within 3 breaths. During the course of recovery in ARDS, lung compliance increases. Thus, we tested a range of such scenarios: C 20 mL/cm H2O to C 50, 60 and 120 mL/cm H2O. In Figure 2D , we present the most extreme case to test the iSAVE's capacity to perform adequate accommodation (black, C: mL/cm H2O to 120 mL/cm H2O). This immediately shunted flow away from the higher resistance in the animal, towards the less resistant artificial lung. Valve adjustment restored the desired flow to the animal's lungs and artificial lung. The animal's lungs were filled with 100mL of saline, effectively decreasing their compliance and resulting in a lower VT. With repeated breaths, flow was further diminished despite efforts by the automatic adjustments of the ventilator in increasing the pressure ( Figure 2E ). Titration of the flow valve enabled a restoration of the desired volume. Throughout these tests, ET PCO2 and SpO2 were maintained between 38-41mmHg and 91-98%, respectively, at baseline and after titration.