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Rapidly scalable mechanical ventilator for the COVID-19 pandemic

Intensive Care Medicine volume 46, pages 1642–1644 (2020)Cite this article

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is straining healthcare systems worldwide, and a global ventilator shortage is fueling the dire situation. As a response, the MIT E-Vent Team (S1) manufactured a scalable ventilator prototype for mass production and demonstrated basic clinical feasibility.

MIT E-Vent engineering information and capabilities, but also missing safety features are provided on the MIT E-Vent website (https://e-vent.mit.edu/) and in the attachments (Fig. 1a, S2). Pressure-based alarms were implemented including in the `Spiro Wave’ device that is based on the MIT E-vent and was just authorized for emergency use by the US FDA. In brief, the MIT E-Vent houses a manual resuscitator, an external compression mechanism, and a control system for adjusting tidal volumes, inspiration-to-expiration ratio, and respiratory rate (Fig. 1a, S3, S4). The MIT E-Vent is equipped with a pressure relief and a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) valve. It delivers unassisted (Fig. 1b) and assisted (not shown) volume control ventilation (VCV). As a proof of concept, a pig was ventilated with the MIT E-Vent or a standard mechanical ventilator (SMV) at distinct settings and arterial blood gases, ventilator waveforms, and flow-volume loops were obtained.

The MIT E-Vent performed similar to a SMV at identical respiratory settings. After 36 h of usage including at high demand settings (TV 600 cc, RR 30, PEEP 20), no signs of device failure were noted (S5).

Tidal volume delivery

MIT E-Vent waveforms showed a smooth tidal volume delivery (Fig. 1b). It revealed similar flow-volume loops when compared to manual ventilation using a manual resuscitator (Fig. 1c).

Gas exchange

MIT E-Vent settings were changed to achieve ‘low’ and ‘high’ minute ventilation, and ‘low’ and ‘high’ FiO2 states as reflected in the ABGs (Fig. 1d, e).

Fig. 1
figure 1

MIT E-Vent. Prototype design (a). Waveforms and flow-volume loops (b and c). Ventilation (d) and oxygenation testing (e)

Full size image

The MIT E-Vent provides (un-)assisted VCV, variable MV, and PEEP with airway pressure profiles comparable to a SMV. The MIT E-Vent is not equipped to provide pressure control ventilation (PCV), which may make it unsuitable for awake and the most complex ARDS patients. However, this device is meant as a bridging tool when a conventional ventilator is not available, to serve as ‘destination ventilator device’ in the absence of any alternatives, or to help free up SMV in certain cases.

The MIT E-Vent Team was determined to equip the MIT E-Vent with comprehensive safety features including oxygen and flow sensors, but due to widespread hardware supply shortages, this became impossible. Omitting these safety features was deemed necessary to provide a rapidly scalable prototype. Consequently, increased clinical monitoring is required to provide adequate safety during the use of the MIT E-Vent (S2). Despite these limitations, the MIT-E Vent offers basic mechanical ventilation for selected patients during this ventilator shortage.

The MIT E-Vent Team invites the global community to improve and distribute a version of this scalable, low-cost ventilator during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Oxygenation and ventilation capabilities of a scalable, low-cost ventilator were demonstrated. MIT E-Vent engineering documentation was made public to rapidly implement the MIT E-Vent into the clinical care of patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation.

MIT E-Vent Team

MIT E-Vent Engineering: Brandon Araki – PhD Candidate, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), MIT Murad Abu-Kalaf, PhD – Research Scientist, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), MIT Mike Detienne, BS – MIT Alum (Electrical Engineering) David Hagan, PhD – CEO, QuantAQ; MIT Alum, (Atmospheric Physics & Chemistry) Nevan Hanumara, PhD – Research Scientist, Mechanical Engineering, MIT (Alum) Kimberly Jung, MS, MBA – MIT Alum (Mechanical Engineering) Teddy Ort – PhD Candidate, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), MIT Aaron Ramirez – PhD Candidate, Mechanical Engineering, MIT Folkers Rojas, PhD – Founder, Raptor Designs; MIT Alum (Mechanical Engineering) Daniela Rus, PhD – Director, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), MIT Amelia Servi, PhD – R&D Engineer, Creare, LLC; MIT Alum (Mechanical Engineering) Shakti Shaligram, MS – Research Scientist, IDM; MIT Alum (Integrated Design and Management) Alexander Slocum, PhD – Professor of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Jonathan Slocum, ScD – MIT Alum (Mechanical Engineering) Alexander Slocum, Jr, MD PhD – Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin; MIT Alum (Mechanical Engineering) Coby Unger, BS; MIT Hobby Shop. MIT E-Vent Clinical Team: Jay Connor, MD – Orthopaedic Surgery, Mt Auburn Hospital Bon Ku, MD – Assistant Dean for Medical Education and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College Albert Kwon, MD – Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College Christoph Nabzdyk, MD – Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Alexander Slocum, Jr, MD PhD – Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin Dirk Varelmann, MD – Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Clinical Advisors: John Callahan, MD - Internal Medicine, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center & Veterans Administration Hospital, Syracuse Sergey Karamnov, MD - Instructor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School Keith G Lurie, MD – Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Minnesota Niels Olson, Lt Cmdr, MD – Laboratory Medical Director, US Naval Hospital, Guam; Professor, Uniformed Services University Neil Ray, MD – Anesthesiologist; Founder & CEO, Raydiant Oximetry Mark Rosen, MD – Professor of Anesthesiology (Ret), University of California, San Francisco; CMO, Raydiant Oximetry Steven Shafer, MD – Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University Scott Sparks, Lt Col, MD – Anesthesiologist, US Naval Hospital, Guam. Manuscript Composition and Editing Leena: Pradhan-Nabzdyk, PhD, MBA - Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. 2010 2.75 Project Team: Amelia Servi, PhD – R&D Engineering, Creare, LLC Abdul Mohsen Al Husseini, PhD – Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Analytical Space, Inc. Justin Negrete, MS – Thermal Engineer, Ford Motor Company, Inc. Stephen Powelson, BS – Senior Mechanical Engineer, Rani Therapeutics, LLC Heon Ju Lee, PhD - Executive Director, Kyperion Co. Ltd.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Albert H. Kwon and Alexander H. Slocum Jr they have contributed equally to this work.

Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA

    Albert H. Kwon

  2. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, USA

    Alexander H. Slocum Jr

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Dirk Varelmann

  4. Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Christoph G. S. Nabzdyk

Authors
  1. Albert H. Kwon
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  2. Alexander H. Slocum Jr
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  4. Christoph G. S. Nabzdyk
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Consortia

on behalf of the MIT E-Vent Team

  • Brandon Araki
  • , Murad Abu-Kalaf
  • , Mike Detienne
  • , David Hagan
  • , Nevan Hanumara
  • , Kimberly Jung
  • , Teddy Ort
  • , Aaron Ramirez
  • , Folkers Rojasv
  • , Daniela Rus
  • , Amelia Servi
  • , Shakti Shaligram
  • , Alexander Slocum Jr.
  • , Jonathan Slocum
  • , Coby Unger
  • , Jay Connor
  • , Bon Ku
  • , Albert Kwon
  • , Christoph Nabzdyk
  • , Dirk Varelmann
  • , John Callahan
  • , Sergey Karamnov
  • , Keith G. Lurie
  • , Niels Olson
  • , Neil Ray
  • , Mark Rosen
  • , Steven Shafer
  • , Scott Sparks
  • , Leena Pradhan-Nabzdyk
  • , Abdul Mohsen Al Husseini
  • , Justin Negrete
  • , Stephen Powelson
  •  & Heon Ju Lee

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christoph G. S. Nabzdyk.

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The MIT E-Vent Team group details are listed in the acknowledgement section.

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Kwon, A.H., Slocum, A.H., Varelmann, D. et al. Rapidly scalable mechanical ventilator for the COVID-19 pandemic. Intensive Care Med 46, 1642–1644 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-06113-3

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