Covid-19 ventilators

Many countries are reporting a shortage of medical ventilators for CV-19 victims. The modern ventilator requiring the patient to be intubated, & have close medical supervision. I wonder if the old "iron lung" might make a comeback (is there a medical reason why it won't serve in CV-19 cases?) A cuirass-type (only encloses the chest) iron lung could be made from an oil drum (suitable holes & packing at the ends) & a vacuum cleaner motor. The first iron lungs really did use vacuum cleaners as a power source. If a whole-body vacuum tank is needed, weld 2 drums together. Both to handle shortages in Western countries, and could be locally made in 3rd world places.

Reply to
David R Brooks
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Aside from the issues of controls, etc., the problem (well, "a" problem, with C-19 is that it aollapses the lungs and fills them with gunk.

(now there's a big scientific term).

The medical phrase is "Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome", aka "ARDS". So there's lots of sticky garbage inside the lungs that keeps them from inlfating and blocks any air exchange.

A ventilator adds "positive pressure" to the air going into the lungs, which forces those nooks and crannies (technically "alveolli") open and helps with respiration.

An "iron lung" doesn't have this pressure gradient.

Reply to
danny burstein

Actually the A stands for "acute" - and no , don't get cute with me - I did NOT say "A Cute" - there's nothing "cute" about it - - -

Reply to
Clare Snyder

Ouch. Touche!

Sorry about that, chief.

Reply to
danny burstein

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