Abstract

In this article, we present a clinically validated invasive emergency mechanical ventilator developed in Chile called VEMERS UC. It has been clinically tested and validated in intubated Covid-19 patients. Once the pandemic hit Chilean soil in March 2020, it was quite clear that the number of mechanical ventilators available would not be enough. As in other parts of the world many initiatives sprung, most of them naively simple. Chilean medical societies joined engineering specialists and agreed early on in an organized and regulated open process for validating emergency mechanical ventilators, thus allowing for rapid development but with the required functionality, reliability, and safety features. VEMERS UC was one of a few that completed successfully all stages of the validating process, the final test being on five critically ill intubated Covid-19 patients for eight hours each. VEMERS UC is based on an electropneumatic circuit architecture, and its components are all low cost, off-the-shelf pneumatic, and electronic products easily obtained in industrial markets. It works in continuous mandatory volume control mode. The novel technical features of VEMERS UC are discussed here as well as the results obtained in each stage of the validating process. The validating process carried out in Chile is noteworthy by itself, and it could be used as an example in other developing countries. Furthermore, VEMERS UC can be used as a guiding design reference in other countries as well, since this design has already been thoroughly tested in human patients and has proven to work successfully.

References

1.
Hopkins
,
J.
,
2020
, “COVID-19 Dashboard by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU),”
Johns Hopkins University
, Baltimore, MD, accessed Sept. 4, 2020, https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
2.
Lingzhong
,
M.
,
Haibo
,
Q.
,
Li
,
W.
,
Yuhang
,
A.
,
Zhanggang
,
X.
,
Qulian
,
G.
,
Ranjit
,
D.
,
Lina
,
Z.
,
Jie
,
M.
,
Chuanyao
,
T.
,
Hong
,
L.
, and
Lize
,
X.
,
2020
, “
Intubation and Ventilation Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak
,”
Anesthesiology
,
132
(
6
), pp.
1317
1332
.10.1097/ALN.0000000000003296
3.
Rubinson
,
L.
,
Vaughn
,
F.
,
Nelson
,
S.
,
Giordano
,
S.
,
Kallstrom
,
T.
,
Buckley
,
T.
,
Burney
,
T.
,
Hupert
,
N.
,
Mutter
,
R.
,
Handrigan
,
M.
,
Yeskey
,
K.
,
Lurie
,
N.
, and
Branson
,
R.
,
2010
, “
Mechanical Ventilators in U.S. Acute Care Hospitals
,”
Disaster Med. Public Health Preparedness
,
4
(
3
), pp.
199
206
.10.1001/dmp.2010.18
4.
Ranney
,
M. L.
,
Griffeth
,
V.
, and
Jha
,
A. K.
,
2020
, “
Critical Supply Shortages-The Need for Ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment During the Covid-19 Pandemic
,”
N. Engl. J. Med.
,
382
(
18
), p.
e41
.10.1056/NEJMp2006141
5.
Johns Hopkins University
,
2020
, “Ventilator Stockpiling and Availability in the US,”
Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
, Baltimore, MD, accessed Sept. 4, 2020, https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/resources/COVID-19/COVID-19-fact-sheets/200214-VentilatorAvailability-factsheet.pdf
6.
Plan de acción Coronavirus
,
2020
, “
Minsal Dispone de 3.300 Ventiladores Mecánicos Para Emergencia Sanitaria Por COVID-19
,” Ministerio de Salud de Chile, Santiago, Chile, accessed Sept. 4, 2020, https://www.minsal.cl/minsal-dispone-de-3-300-ventiladores-mecanicos-para-emergencia-sanitaria-por-covid-19/
7.
Plan de acción Coronavirus
,
2020
, “
Cifras Oficiales COVID-19
,” Gobierno de Chile, Santiago, Chile, accessed Sept. 4, 2020, https://www.gob.cl/coronavirus/cifrasoficiales/
8.
Cooperativa.cl
,
2020
, “
Chile Recibe Otros 90 Ventiladores Mecánicos
,” Radio Cooperativa, Santiago, Chile, accessed July 7, 2020, https://cooperativa.cl/noticias/sociedad/salud/coronavirus/chile-recibe-otros-90-ventiladores-mecanicos/2020-07-03/222911.html
9.
Penarredonda
,
J.
,
2020
, “
Covid-19: The Race to Build Coronavirus Ventilators
,” BBC Future, London, UK, accessed Apr. 1, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200401-covid-19-the-race-to-build-coronavirus-ventilators
10.
Iyengar
,
K.
,
Bahl
,
S.
,
Vaishya
,
R.
, and
Vaish
,
A.
,
2020
, “
Challenges and Solutions in Meeting Up the Urgent Requirement of Ventilators for COVID-19 Patients
,”
Diabetes Metab. Syndr.: Clin. Res. Rev.
,
14
, pp.
499
509
.10.1016/j.dsx.2020.04.048
11.
Pearce
,
J. M.
,
2020
, “
A Review of Open Source Ventilators for COVID-19 and Future Pandemics, [Version 2; Peer Review: 3 Approved]
,” F1000Research, London, UK.
12.
Husseini
,
A. M.
,
Lee
,
H. J.
,
Negrete
,
J.
,
Powelson
,
S.
,
Servi
,
A. T.
,
Slocum
,
A. H.
, and
Saukkonen
,
J.
,
2010
, “
Design and Prototyping of a Low-Cost Portable Mechanical Ventilator
,”
ASME J. Med. Devices
,
4
(
2
), p. 027514.10.1115/1.3442790
13.
University of Oxford
,
2020
, “Ventilator project—OxVent—Gets Green Light by UK Government to Proceed to Next Stage of Testing,”
University of Oxford
,
Oxford, UK
, accessed Mar. 31, 2020, https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-03-31-ventilator-project-oxvent-gets-green-light-uk-government-proceed-next-stage-testing
14.
OxyGEN Project
,
2020
, “Emergency Ventilator for COVID-19 Crisis Approved by the Spanish Medicine Agency,”
OxyGEN Project
, accessed June 7, 2021, https://www.oxygen.protofy.xyz/
15.
Li
,
H.
,
Li
,
E.
,
Krishnamurthy
,
D.
,
Kolbay
,
P.
,
Chacin
,
B.
,
Hoehne
,
S.
,
Cybulski
,
J.
,
Brewer
,
L.
,
Petelenz
,
T.
,
Orr
,
J.
,
Sakata
,
D.
,
Clardy
,
T.
,
Kuck
,
K.
, and
Prakash
,
M.
,
2020
, “
Utah-Stanford Ventilator (Vent4 US): Developing a Rapidly Scalable Ventilator for COVID-19 Patients With ARDS
,” medRxiv, accessed Apr. 18, 2020, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.18.20070367v1
16.
C.
,
Galbiati
,
A.
,
Abba
,
P.
,
Agnes
,
P.
,
Amaudruz
,
M.
,
Arba
,
F.
,
Ardellier-Desages
,
C.
,
Badia
,
G.
,
Batignani
,
G.
,
Bellani
,
G.
,
Bianchi
,
D.
,
Bishop
,
V.
,
Bocci
,
W.
,
Bonivento
,
B.
,
Bottino
,
M.
,
Bouchard
,
S.
,
Brice
,
G.
,
Buccino
,
S.
,
Bussino
,
A.
,
Caminata
,
A.
,
Capra
,
M.
,
Caravati
,
M.
,
Carlini
,
L.
,
Carrozzi
,
J. M.
,
Cela
,
B.
,
Celano
,
C.
,
Charette
,
S.
,
Coelli
,
M.
,
Constable
,
V.
,
Cocco
,
G.
,
Croci
,
S.
,
Cudmore
,
A.
,
Dal Molin
,
S.
,
D'Auria
,
G.
,
D'Avenio
,
J.
,
DeRuiter
,
S.
,
De Cecco
,
L.
,
De Lauretis
,
M.
,
Del Tutto
,
A.
,
Devoto
,
T.
,
Dinon
,
E.
,
Druszkiewicz
,
A.
,
Fabbri
,
F.
,
Ferroni
,
G.
,
Fiorillo
,
R.
,
Ford
,
G.
,
Foti
,
D.
,
Franco
,
F.
,
Gabriele
,
P.
,
Garcia Abia
,
L. S.
,
Giarratana
,
J.
,
Givoletti
,
M.
,
Givoletti
,
G.
,
Gorini
,
E.
,
Gramellini
,
G.
,
Grosso
,
F.
,
Guescini
,
E.
,
Guetre
,
T.
,
Hadden
,
J.
,
Hall
,
A.
,
Heavey
,
G.
,
Hersak
,
N.
,
Hessey
,
An. Ianni
,
C.
,
Ienzi
,
V.
,
Ippolito
,
C. L.
,
Kendziora
,
M.
,
King
,
A.
,
Kittmer
,
I.
,
Kochanek
,
R.
,
Kruecken
,
M. L.
,
Commara
,
G.
,
Leblond
,
X.
,
Li
,
C.
,
Lim
,
T.
,
Lindner
,
T.
,
Lombardi
,
T.
,
Long
,
P.
,
Lu
,
G.
,
Lukhanin
,
G.
,
Magni
,
R.
,
Maharaj
,
M.
,
Malosio
,
C.
,
Mapelli
,
P.
,
Maqueo
,
P.
,
Margetak
,
S. M.
,
Mari
,
L.
,
Martin
,
N.
,
Massacret
,
A.
,
McDonald
,
D.
,
Minuzzo
,
T. A.
,
Mohayai
,
L.
,
Molinari Tosatti
,
C.
,
Moretti
,
A.
,
Muraro
,
F.
,
Nati
,
A. J.
,
Noble
,
A.
,
Norrick
,
K.
,
Olchanski
,
I.
,
Palumbo
,
R.
,
Paoletti
,
N.
,
Paoli
,
C.
,
Pearson
,
C.
,
Pellegrino
,
V.
,
Pesudo
,
A.
,
Pocar
,
M.
,
Pontesilli
,
R.
,
Pordes
,
S.
,
Pordes
,
A.
,
Prini
,
O.
,
Putignano
,
J. L.
,
Raaf
,
M.
,
Razeti
,
A.
,
Razeto
,
D.
,
Reed
,
A.
,
Renshaw
,
M.
,
Rescigno
,
F.
,
Retiere
,
L. P.
,
Rignanese
,
J.
,
Rode
,
L. J.
,
Romualdez
,
R.
,
Santorelli
,
D.
,
Sablone
,
E.
,
Scapparone
,
T.
,
Schaubel
,
B.
,
Shaw
,
A. S.
,
Slutsky
,
B.
,
Smith
,
N. J. T.
,
Smith
,
P.
,
Spagnolo
,
F.
,
Spinella
,
A.
,
Stenzler
,
A.
,
Steri
,
L.
,
Stiaccini
,
C.
,
Stoughton
,
P.
,
Stringari
,
M.
,
Tardocchi
,
R.
,
Tartaglia
,
G.
,
Testera
,
C.
,
Tintori
,
A.
,
Tonazzo
,
J.
,
Tseng
,
E.
,
Viscione
,
F.
,
Vivaldi
,
M.
,
Wada
,
H.
,
Wang
,
S.
,
Westerdale
,
S.
,
Yue
,
A.
, and
Zardoni
,
2020
, “
Mechanical Ventilator Milano (MVM): A Novel Mechanical Ventilator Designed for Mass Scale Production in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemics
,” epub.10.1101/2020.03.24.20042234
17.
adminEia
,
2020
, “Prototipo de Ventilador Mecánico Desarrollado en la EIA Comprobará su Inocuidad Para Salvar Vidas,”
EIA University
, Antioquia, Colombia, accessed Sept. 4, 2020, https://www.eia.edu.co/avance-informativo-prototipo-de-ventilador-mecanico-desarrollado-en-la-eia-comprobara-su-inocuidad-para-salvar-vidas/
18.
SOCHIMI, SOCHIMU, SACH, CMFCC
,
2020
, “
CONSENSO TÉCNICO CMFCC-SOCHIMI Chile: Validación de Eficacia y Seguridad de Ventiladores Mecánicos de Emergencia (VME)
,” Ministerio de Ciencias de Chile, Santiago, Chile, accessed Sept. 4, 2020, https://www.medicina-intensiva.cl/site/covid/guias/Consenso_SOCHIMI_CMFCC_validacion_ventiladores_mecanicos_ emergencia_crisis_COVID_19.pdf
19.
Medicines & Healthcare Products, Regulatory Agency
,
2020
, “Rapidly Manufactured Ventilator System,”
Medicines & Healthcare Products, Regulatory Agency
, London, UK, accessed Sept. 4, 2020, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874279/RMVS001_Rapidly_Manufactured_Ventilator_Specification__PDF.pdf
20.
Bauman
,
H.
,
2019
,
Fluid Mechanics of Control Valves: How Valves Control Your Process
,
International Society of Automation
, Pittsburgh, PA.
21.
CERTEMED
,
2020
, “
Protocolo de Inspección Para Análisis de Ventilador Desarrollado Para la Emergencia Generada Por COVID-19:VEMERS UC
,” University of Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile.
22.
CMFCC
,
2020
, “
Comentarios de Reunión de Usabilidad Con Equipo Ventilador VEMERS UC
,” Ministerio de Ciencias de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
23.
Dept. Medicina Intensiva PUC
,
2020
, “
Prueba Preclínica de Ventilador Mecánico VEMERS UC
,” Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
24.
Dept. Medicina Intensiva PUC
,
2020
, “
Prueba Clínica de Ventilador Mecánico de Emergencia: VEMERS UC
,” Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
25.
CMFCC
,
2020
, “
Cierre de Evaluaciones en Prototipos de Ventilación Mecánica Para Utilización en Emergencia COVID: VEMERS UC
,” Ministerio de Ciencias de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
26.
Tobin
,
M. J.
,
2010
,
Principles and Practice of Mechanical Ventilation
,
McGraw-Hill Professional
, New York.
You do not currently have access to this content.