Chandigarh PGI doc develops low-cost respiration control device

The device can be used in place of ventilators and will rule out human error associated with manual AMBU bags

A faculty member of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has developed an inexpensive device which can be used in place of ventilators.

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Dr Rajeev Chauhan, assistant professor in department of anaesthesia and intensive care, in collaboration with engineers Akash Gaddamwar and Eshan Dhar of a private firm, has come up with a prototype for an affordable artifical manual breathing unit (AMBU) bag operative device. They have applied for a patent of the device and have received a positive response.

Manual resuscitators or AMBU bags provide a short term alternative especially to healthcare institutions in developing countries such as India, but can have harmful and dangerous effects. Human human error can lead to over or under pumping of the bag, often leading to lung trauma.

“This device will be operated by a motor which will automatically pump the AMBU bag at a required rate per minute. The device can be fixed to a regular adult AMBU bag and the rate of rhythmic pumping of air can be fixed between 12 to 20 pumps per minute, in accordance with the patient’s needs. This will erase the chances of human error leading to over pumping and lung trauma, while also decreasing the footfall of attendants and caregivers in hospitals thus decreasing chances of exposure to potential infections, such as the COVID 19,” said Chauhan.

In pandemics such as COVID 19, wherein patients need ventilator support it was harmful to expose an attendant to the patient.

“The device should not cost more than ₹15,000, whereas an average ventilator which is attached to an ICU bed costs ₹10 lakhs,” said Chauhan. A few patients do require traditional ventilator support, but many lives can be saved by using the AMBU bag, he added.