How helmet-based ventilators could relieve pressure on services

The world is in need of more helping hands in order to contain the COVID-19 crisis. Due to their design, helmet-based ventilators could alleviate the shortage. Its setup could enable a wider range of medical personnel to operate the technology.

The pandemic has been relentless on healthcare systems worldwide, as nations are struggling to contain the consequences of the virus while the world is racing to build more ventilators. However, the shortage of trained staff raises the question: will there be enough medical professionals left to operate them? Helmet-based ventilators could help alleviate the problem, as its setup could enables them to be operated by a wider range of staff.

The shortage of trained medical workers has compelled governments to consider alternatives in mitigating the crisis. Some countries have reached out for out-of-state support. Cuba has deployed over 200 doctors to aid South Africa in the COVID-19 hotspot provinces. The US Senate has introduced a new bill, which, upon approval, would provide visas for approximately 40,000 foreign doctors and nurses. The current health crisis has even encouraged some universities to open a medical degree to better staff the surrounding area with future professionals.

When it comes to ventilators, essential for treating severe cases of the virus, the situation becomes particularly concerning. Patients can be intubated only by doctors or other medical staff, specifically trained to conduct the procedure. Without the sufficient amount of experienced healthcare workers, patients in need of ventilator support will not be able to get the necessary treatment. Helmet-based ventilators (HBV) could help ease the pressure placed on the system, as its simplistic design expands the range of medical staff that could use the technology for patients battling the coronavirus.

Aurika Savickaitė, MSN, APN, said: “The immense pressure has definitely taken a toll on all healthcare professionals, working day and night to reduce the severity of the situation. Some procedures, necessary for treating Coronavirus patients, require having specific training, which not all medical staff available on the premises may possess. Using helmet-based ventilators could help better distribute duties among hospital personnel, as its intuitive design does not require such intricate set of skills as intubation. This would give us a greater chance to maintain the integrity of the healthcare system and keep it from collapsing.”

Using HBV technology could also reduce the number of patients that need invasive ventilation. Intubated patients are more likely to suffer severe consequences, which heavily affect the quality of living in the aftermath of the virus. The vast majority never fully recover, and the ones that do often need to relearn basic motor skills, such as walking and swallowing. So far, the use of the NIV hood helped to avoid intubation in 20% of COVID-19 patients.

In addition to doing less damage to the patient than the mechanical ventilator, the HBV is much more cost-efficient to produce. Its design consists of easily obtainable parts, thus helmets can be produced even in at-home conditions. People in support of the HBV initiative have been uniting in the “NIV Helmet Manufacturing Project to Combat COVID-19” group, documenting the manufacturing process and sharing their insights on how it can be improved. Since the “bubble helmet” does not require being highly tech-savvy or complex equipment, it could reinforce the pandemic relief effort in the emerging countries, struggling to supply their hospitals with the critically needed ventilators.

The Helmet-based initiative is led by a group of medical professionals, who seek to introduce the technology to all frontline workers fighting the virus. The team has launched a website helmetbasedventilation.com, where healthcare professionals, potential manufacturers and investors can access all the know-how on the HBV and utilise the information to better support the global COVID-19 response effort.