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Risky hack could double access to ventilators

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Re: Risky hack could double access to ventilators

#3
This is really neat. It seems a lot of the risk is how specific lung capacities and conditions interact with the ventilator and how much oxygen someone needs. My question to any MDs reading this: how often do you have to tweak ventilator volume for patients using one? What is the feedback loop? Blood oxygen levels?

Re: Risky hack could double access to ventilators

#6
I thought I remembered reading somewhere recently that 2:1 is already in use in some cases (maybe in Italy?), but I can't find a source.

Is there increased risk of ventilator failure with this approach? That seems like it could be an additional terrible factor to weigh, because parts have become so scarce.

Re: Risky hack could double access to ventilators

#7
post #5

The virus doubles in less than a week, so this hack (which is being used extensively in Italy from my understanding) can only by you so much time to stop its spread with mitigation measures.

Depends on whether you flatten out the growth rate. It won't/can't keep growing like that when everyone is sheltering in place.

Re: Risky hack could double access to ventilators

#9

I thought I remembered reading somewhere recently that 2:1 is already in use in some cases (maybe in Italy?), but I can't find a source. Is there increased risk of ventilator failure with this approach? That seems like it could be an additional terrible factor to weigh, because parts have become so scarce.

The article makes it sound like the ventilators have a wide enough range of operation to accommodate. It may not work for the tail end (set of 4 people each with large lung capacity), but could work for many.

Re: Risky hack could double access to ventilators

#10
post #7
post #5

The virus doubles in less than a week, so this hack (which is being used extensively in Italy from my understanding) can only by you so much time to stop its spread with mitigation measures.

Depends on whether you flatten out the growth rate. It won't/can't keep growing like that when everyone is sheltering in place.

Seems likely. Italy is currently seeing a 13% increase per day while the US is now very close to a 50% increase per day. There are news reports showing beaches and bars in the US are still fully packed. It probably relates the US culture of disregarding expert advice and doing the opposite to "own the scientists"
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