I understand there is a critical shortage of ventilators to treat this virus. And i am not saying that anything but a ventilator is the right thing to use, BUT if there are none, could CPAP and BPAP machines help? Perhaps better than nothing, they can humidify the air going through them or run dry, the pressure can be set, and there are plenty of them, and parts too.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Great idea but I think they're going to use splitters.
mooredolezal
Level 7
Mar 26, 2020
0
Hospitals use bipap on the regular, for patients with respiratory distress but not respiratory failure
MarkiusMahamius
Level 7
Mar 25, 2020
1
Here's a project for converting a CPAP machine.
[github.com]
bingst
Level 8
Mar 25, 2020
2
Thank you for posting this! Any port in a storm, and if they were 'only' used to help protect medical personnel it would be Wonderful
A ventilator is self regulating. It operates to breath for you in a cycle. It controls both intake and exhaust.
A CPAP is a blower. No control. Its no better than a kitchen fan.
I've been on both.
PondartIncbendog
Level 8
Mar 25, 2020
2
As a person who literally stopped breathing (due to CHF) I can state emphatically that ANY source of air is a damned sight better than none!!!!!!!
Problem is , just like high flow delivery , let’s say 40L / 50 %, aerolization of the virus . High risk of contaminating more people that way , and every hospital has only few TB rooms ( safe room for such method ).
As it is , we stop even Neb treatments for covid possitive or suspecting pos patients . Exactly for same reasons . Only inhalers / puffers .
Pralina1
Level 9
Mar 25, 2020
3
Are my statements correct?
So the expelled air has to pass through some kind of filter before exiting the ventilator and into the room air? Do you know what kind of filter?
@PondartIncbendog pretty much
@PondartIncbendog, @bingst No but I just came home , and I ll be back at work tonight and I can look and tell u .
@Pralina1 The ASTM has made freely available some of their standards related to covid-19 for PPE and ventilators. I'm about to download the ventilator standard.
[astm.org]
@bingst it wanted me to sign in as an employed medical professional to access the standards
@AnneWimsey I didn't try to sign-in before registering. I got in and got to it, but it's really just guidelines in choosing and blah blah blah. And mostly about respirators, not ventilators. Pretty useless.
@bingst theoretically 90% + goes up your nose
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