In vivo assessment of a modification of a domiciliary ventilator which reduces oxygen consumption in mechanically ventilated patients

Timothy O Jenkins; Thomas M Sutton; Peter Griffen; Yoseph Mebrate; Michael I Polkey

doi:10.1177/17511437241296685

In vivo assessment of a modification of a domiciliary ventilator which reduces oxygen consumption in mechanically ventilated patients

J Intensive Care Soc. 2024 Nov 4:17511437241296685. doi: 10.1177/17511437241296685. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Timothy O Jenkins^{1

2}, Thomas M Sutton³, Peter Griffen⁴, Yoseph Mebrate⁵, Michael I Polkey⁶

Affiliations

¹ Harefield Respiratory Research Group, Royal Brompton and Harefield Clinical Group, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
² Department of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK.
³ Design Engineering Department, Limbs and Things, Bristol, UK.
⁴ Department of Design, Brunel University College of Engineering Design and Physical Sciences, London, UK.
⁵ Department of Clinical Engineering, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
⁶ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton and Harefield Clinical Group, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Abstract

There are instances where hospitals may experience a relative shortage of oxygen, for example, future pandemics, natural disasters or wartime. We developed a modification to a domiciliary ventilator that captures oxygen normally vented during expiration into the atmosphere, delivering it to the patient. The modification significantly increases PaO₂ in mechanically ventilated patients at their baseline FiO₂ and baseline FiO₂ +1, +2 and +3 L/min compared to no modification. The modification reduces walled oxygen consumption by median (IQR) -1.0 (-1.25 to -1.00) L/min whilst maintaining PaO₂. This modification may be a valuable in circumstances where there is a relative shortage of oxygen.

Keywords: Respiration; artificial; critical care; mechanical; oxygen; ventilators.