Split-ventilation for more than one patient, can it be done? Yes

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has led to an international shortage of mechanical ventilation. Due to this shortfall, the surge of increasing number of patients to limited resources of mechanical ventilators has reinvigorated the interest in the concept of split ventilation or co-ventilation (ventilating more than one patient with the same ventilator). However, major medical societies have condemned the concept in a joint statement for multiple reasons. Materials and Methods: In this paper, we will describe the history of the concept, what is trending in the literature about it and along our modification to ventilate two patients with one ventilator. We will describe how to overcome such concerns regarding cross contamination, re-breathing, safely adjusting the settings for tidal volume and positive end expiratory pressure to each patient and how to safely monitor each patient. Main results: Our experimental setup shows that we can safely ventilate two patients using one ventilator. Conclusion: The concept of ventilating more than one patient with a single ventilator is feasible especially in crisis situations. However, we caution that it has to be done under careful monitoring with expertise in mechanical ventilation. More research and investment are crucially needed in this current pandemic crisis.