CRISIS ventilator: A 3D printed option for ventilator surge in mass respiratory pandemics

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed flaws in the stockpiling and distribution of ventilators. In this study, we assessed the durability, sterilizability, and performance of a 3D-printed ventilator. SLS-printed devices were dropped from 1.83 m and autoclaved before evaluation on a COVID-19 simulated patient. The respiratory performance of an extrusion-printed device was studied using a variable compliance model. Ranges of sustainable respiratory rates were evaluated as a function of tidal volume. Autoclaving and dropping the device did not negatively impact minute ventilation or PIP for sustained ventilation. Equivalence was significant across all measures except for comparing the autoclaved and dropped with p = 0.06. Extrusion produced ventilators achieved minute ventilation ranging from 4.1 to 12.2 L/min for all simulated compliances; there was an inverse correlation between tidal volume and respiratory rate. The CRISIS ventilator is a durable, sterilizable, and reusable 3D-printed ventilator using off-the-shelf materials which could be employed variety of adult lung diseases. Further in-vivo testing is needed. •3D printed devices enable hospitals to produce just-in-time equipment.•The durable open-access CRISIS ventilator can be printed and sterilized for immediate use.•The CRISIS ventilator can achieve 4–12 L minute ventilation in a variety of disease states.•This work studies a non-FDA approved medical device.