MECHANICAL VENTILATION AMID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. A GUIDE FOR PHYSICIANS AND ENGINEERS

• History of ventilator devices
• Ventilator splitters: requirements and feasibility
• SARS CoV-2 transmission and innovative protective barriers
• What is a bridge ventilator and why is it needed?
• Fundamental requirements for a bridge ventilator
• Categorization for emergency ventilators amid COVID-19 pandemic
• Mechanics of resuscitation bag
• How to compress a bag: an overview of mechanical and pneumatic methods
• Choosing the right motor: considerations and concerns
• Re-purposing positive airway pressure machines (CPAP and BiPAP) for ventilators
• The role of non-invasive ventilation to treat COVID-19 induced lung disease
• Categorization of non-invasive ventilators amid the COVID-19 pandemic
• An appraisal of FDA-approved emergency ventilator designs
• DIY: A detailed guide to build your own bridge ventilator
• Regulatory considerations for ventilator production
• Post-regulatory concerns: liability, risk mitigation, and more.

The surge in COVID-19 cases leading to hospitalizations around the world quickly depleted hospital resources and reserves, forcing physicians to make extremely difficult life-or-death decisions on ventilator allocation between patients. Leaders in academia and industry have developed numerous ventilator support systems using both consumer- and industry-grade hardware to sustain life and to provide intermediate respiratory relief for hospitalized patients. This book is the first of its kind to discuss the respiratory pathophysiology underlying COVID-19, explain ventilator mechanics, provide and evaluate a repository of innovative ventilator support devices conceived amid the pandemic, and explain both hardware and software components necessary to develop an inexpensive ventilator support device. This book serves both as a historical record of the collaborative and innovative response to the anticipated ventilator shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic and as a guide for physicians, engineers, and DIY'ers interested in developing inexpensive transitory ventilator support devices.

Features
• Provides a qualitative appraisal of numerous transitory ventilator devices developed during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Explores the mechanics, considerations, and concerns of emergency ventilator components
• Provides a detailed framework for beginners and experts alike to develop their own emergency ventilation systems