Manipal Hospital to start clinical trial for ventilator developed by NAL

SwasthVayu, a non-invasive ventilator has been developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), in collaboration with Dr Satyanarayana Mysore, HOD, Pulmonology, at Manipal Hospitals and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology. The clinical trials will begin shortly at the hospital.

SwasthVayu is equipped with advanced features like Bi-level mode (BiPAP), Continuous Positive Airway Mode (CPAP), spontaneous modes and 3D-printed HEPA-T filter adapter connected directly to the non-ventilated mask. The device also has a special provision to connect to the oxygen concentrator externally. NAL, in a statement, said that the device has been subjected to trials on artificial lung models and has successfully passed stringent electrical safety, performance, calibration, and biocompatibility tests.

The number of people who would require ventilators is expected to increase with a surge in cases. Apart from Covid patients, these ventilators could also benefit and support patients suffering from other respiratory disorders like complex sleep-disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and heart failure.

Dr CM Ananda, Chief Scientist and Head, Electronics Division of NAL, in a statement, said that the device is registered with the Central Drug Research Institute and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. The device is ideal to treat patients with respiratory failure in both Covid and non-Covid situations, either in the ICU or non-intensive medical conditions. Further, this provides an opportunity for scarce ICU beds not to be overburdened and to be used for severely affected patients.

The ethics committee and the scientific committee at Manipal Hospitals has scrutinised and approved the device for clinical trials under Dr Satyanarayana as the Principal Investigator. He also specialises in sleep medicine and is a lung transplant physician. Dr Satyanarayana, in a statement said, "The device will also be a bonanza post-pandemic for treating sleep-disordered breathing including Obstructive Sleep Apnea and other sleep apnea. The clinical trials will begin shortly."