Mechanical Ventilation
The aim of the collaborative project CoVent between the University Children's Hospital Basel (UKBB), the Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) and the Product Development Group Zurich (pd|z) is to improve the safety of mechanical ventilation of critically ill patients suffering from acute respiratory inflammation such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Exact information about the pressure distribution inside the trachea and lung are key in mechanical ventilation. Common methods to determine the intra-tracheal pressure have several downsides and limitations in the clinical application. Complications such as secretion and kinking can influence the intra-tracheal pressures. The measurement method itself can influence the flow, which leads to an inaccurate measurement. Ventilator internal analytical calculations are based on ideal in vitro conditions and hence, are inaccurate in clinical conditions. The CoVent project addresses these problems by developing a novel measurement method especially designed for the clinical application of low cost ventilators.
A sophisticated model for analyzing the pressure and flow distribution inside the trachea of patients with infected lungs can lead to a better understanding of the pathological lung and the underlaying disease. Thus, treatments could be adapted individually to the patient condition and outcome improved.