A portable, low cost ventilation system for transportation of patients with severe acute respiratory failure

As part of the development of a life support stretcher for transportation of critically ill patients, a portable ventilation system was developed. This system was used successfully during transportation of 6 of 11 patients who required ventilatory assistance and who were being considered for extracorporeal membrane oxygenator support. Immediately after transportation, PaCo2 values were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in patients ventilated with this system, when compared to PaCo2 values of the remaining 5 patients in whom ventilation was assisted with a 2-liter anesthesia bag (PaCo2 = 58.7 ± 3.6). This system offers significant advantages over other presently manufactured systems, including low cost, portability, and efficiency in terms of oxygen utilization. (Manual ventilation is supplied so that no auxiliary electrical power supply is necessary.) Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) can be varied by 2.5 cm H2O increments using a commercially available, weighted ball valve. In addition, it has been useful for transporting patients with acute respiratory failure within the hospital for therapeutic maneuvers or diagnostic studies.