Thiruvananthapuram: Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology has developed an emergency ventilator system that can be used for treating coronavirus patients. The new system can be used if ventilators are not available. It was manufactured using materials available within the country. The system was developed based on Artificial Manual Breathing Unit (AMBU) and the technology was handed over to Wipro Enterprises Ltd.
AMBU bag or Bag Valve Mask (BVM) is an equipment that can be operated by hand to help the patients who cannot breathe on their own. Normally, a person should be present with the patient to operate this equipment whereas the portable lightweight device developed by Sree Chitra works automatically. Along with facilities to control breathing rate, it also has sufficient number of valves to stop damaging the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs.
The technology was developed by a team of engineers in the artificial organs wing headed by Sarath and Nagesh under the guidance of the doctors in anesthesia department of Sree Chitra. The Wipro officials informed that they will introduce the equipment in the market shortly. Wipro will be conducting the clinical trial of the device.
