Non Invasive Ventilation is the preferred mode to assistant patients with the lung pathology COVID creates. This requires higher than normal lung pressures for oxygenation as the concentration of O2 can be detrimental to the lungs causing a worsening. The extra pressure means a lower concentration of O2 is needed to help the patient.
Intubation adds more risk to the patients lungs recovering because the volumes of air moved in an out can also cause injury; as the lungs are no longer moving as well with the increased fluid COVID patients experience. A full featured ventilator is not a silver bullet, it is a sign that things are very serious for the patients lungs. The shorter amount of time on the ventilator the better, which also means no ventilator unless absolutely necessary.
Using a mask like this does the basics, but we do have to rely on the patient to move their own air volumes in and out. Often they are able to do this, so this mask could provide real benefits.
The bubble helmets you can see in Italian hospital footage have been shown in an 2016 study to reduce the need to intubate and put patients on a full featured ventilator. The caveat being the COVID pandemic experience will glean a lot more insight into keeping patients from being intubated and off of full featured ventilators.
Intubation adds more risk to the patients lungs recovering because the volumes of air moved in an out can also cause injury; as the lungs are no longer moving as well with the increased fluid COVID patients experience. A full featured ventilator is not a silver bullet, it is a sign that things are very serious for the patients lungs. The shorter amount of time on the ventilator the better, which also means no ventilator unless absolutely necessary.
Using a mask like this does the basics, but we do have to rely on the patient to move their own air volumes in and out. Often they are able to do this, so this mask could provide real benefits.
The bubble helmets you can see in Italian hospital footage have been shown in an 2016 study to reduce the need to intubate and put patients on a full featured ventilator. The caveat being the COVID pandemic experience will glean a lot more insight into keeping patients from being intubated and off of full featured ventilators.