Adapted Diving Mask Bench Tests as an Autonomous Respiratory Support in Healthy Volunteer

Abstract

PurposeThe scenario of global health crisis due to SARS-CoV-2 pandemia combined with the shortage of resources in many countries has justified numerous studies to design easily replicable and economic respiratory support devices. We have developed an adapted diving mask (ADM) to be used as an autonomous and safe respiratory support. The objective was to prove a minimum positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) with the ADM without any adverse events.MethodsBench tests was done in 22 healthy volunteers with our ADM prototype. Expiratory-inspiratory flow and pressure were registered apart from blood and transcutaneous hypercapnia.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in the baseline analysis results and after therapy, except in pO2. Mean PEEP measured was 8.2 ± 4.2 cmH2O with a peak measured pressure of 20 cm H2O.ConclussionsThe ADM has shown good tolerance and a therapeutic manteining PEEP with no evidence of any deletereous effect or hypercapnia with its continuous use.