Open AccessConceptual model of low-cost improvised bubble continuous positive airway pressure device for adults and its potential use in the COVID-19 pandemic
Author(s) -
Himal Kharel,
Zeni Kharel,
Samikchhya Keshary Bhandari
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos neglected tropical diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.99
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1935-2735
pISSN - 1935-2727
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010221
Subject(s) - continuous positive airway pressure , pandemic , covid-19 , medicine , personal protective equipment , intensive care medicine , resource (disambiguation) , health care , conceptual model , medical emergency , computer science , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , anesthesia , obstructive sleep apnea , computer network , database , economics , economic growth
Low-cost improvised continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device is safe and efficacious in neonatal respiratory distress. There is a great necessity for similar device in adults, and this has been especially made apparent by the recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which is unmasking the deficiencies of healthcare system in several low-resource countries. We propose a simplified and inexpensive model of improvised CPAP in adults using locally available resources including aquarium air pumps and a novel pressure release mechanism. Although the safety and efficacy of improvised CPAP in adults are not established, the conceptual model we propose has the potential to serve as a lifesaving technology in many low-resource settings during this ongoing pandemic and thus calls for expedited research.