The LeVe CPAP System for Oxygen-Efficient CPAP Respiratory Support: Development and Pilot Evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Respiratory Medicine
• Frugal Innovation

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates effective respiratory support for patients.
• Existing Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) systems can be complex, expensive, and oxygen-intensive, limiting their use in resource-limited environments.
• There is a need for resource-efficient CPAP solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a low-complexity, resource-efficient CPAP system.
• To assess the performance, safety, and acceptability of the LeVe CPAP system.

Main Methods:

• The LeVe CPAP system was designed using frugal innovation principles, utilizing electric fan blowers.
• Laboratory testing evaluated performance against commercial CPAP systems.
• Pilot evaluation assessed safety and acceptability in healthy volunteers in Uganda.

Main Results:

• The LeVe system achieved target pressure with low error, comparable to commercial systems.
• Performance was 50-70% FiO2 dependent with 10 L/min oxygen.
• Pilot testing showed the system is safe, well-tolerated, and caused no adverse events.

Conclusions:

• Frugal engineering can create resource-efficient CPAP systems for pandemic respiratory support.
• The LeVe CPAP system is safe, effective, and well-tolerated.
• This approach has potential for other respiratory conditions in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs).