In the fight against COVID-19, the scenario of not having enough ventilators to treat patients is a nightmare situation. A healthcare system becoming overwhelmed is an exponential threat to life. Some of the most advanced medical administrations in the world are estimated to be under-resourced by 30 to 50% due to the spike in ICU ventilator need and the problem in developing countries is even more profound. The Galway VentShare system is a way of addressing the need to have additional mechanical ventilators immediately available over the short to medium term. This critical-care focused invention is a means of extending existing ICU ventilator capacity if a national health system is overwhelmed due to a COVID-19 spike.
The system is available to all as an open-source system. The beauty of the VentShare solution is that all the components exist as medical-grade accessories and are freely available within most hospital settings. As such there is no time-consuming manufacturing or supply chain constraints. All that is required for rollout and implementation of the VentShare System is access to the component parts, combined with shared knowledge and know-how. Everything needed to set up the VentShare system is available at http://www.galwayventshare.com/
VentShare has been rigorously tested on sophisticated ICU ventilator systems and older anaesthetic machines. While intended to be used as a last resort, the invention is robust for use with ventilators capable of providing a pressure control mode. The project welcomes discussions with groups working on similar solutions to ensure the people on the front line of healthcare have the backup option in the worst-case scenarios.
The Galway VentShare was led by the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) in partnership with: Galway University Hospitals, BioInnovate, Design Partners, Saolta, Intersurgical Ireland, App Design, Smart Sensors Lab, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), Brandt Studios, Sharkey Consulting, Steris, Sensirion and Nickolay.