Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)-Can this be a boon to tide over ICU crisis in pandemic? A case series

Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) disease has caused unusual overload of health care systems all over the world. We describe four severe COVID cases managed by non-intensivist.

We had four unvaccinated cases with acute onset influenza like illness with signs of respiratory failure. Apart from general and COVID-specific measures, we started Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) trial for these patients. All these patients were weaned off CPAP and were discharged once they recovered.

Limitation of bed numbers in ICU has caused unforeseen stress upon the system to manage sudden increase of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome during COVID pandemics. Studies have shown non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and high frequency nasal cannula (HFNC) have improved patient outcomes. But managing NIV and HFNC is resource intensive in terms of manpower and equipment. We have found that patients with severe COVID disease can be managed safely using CPAP in secondary care with minimal training of non-intensivist healthcare workers in a cost-effective and efficient way of treating severe COVID who are unlikely to worsen.

With the imminent third COVID wave looming, it is high time to strengthen our existing primary and secondary health care system by these novel methods to reduce the burden of our tertiary care.