BiPAP is a type Positive Airway Pressure (PAP), non-invasive machine that is commonly used to maintain a consistent breathing pattern at night or during symptom flare-ups in people with sleep apnea, congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a chronic inflammatory lung disease.

As US has become the most-affected country by the pandemic, healthcare institutions are likely to face a shortage of critical mechanical ventilators for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

To prevent this demand, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has called for an increased supply of ventilators for hospitals statewide. In this vein, all solutions are welcome to help cope with the possible demand – Just like Isinnova turned a snorkeling mask into a 3D printed emergency respiratory mask.

 In this vein, a Northwell Health physician, a respiratory therapist, and a 3D printing bioengineer have successfully designed the protocol to turn the more common bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machine into a functional invasive mechanical ventilator. To achieve that, they 3D printed the most important tool, an adaptor, designed to facilitate the conversion.

A team led by Hugh Cassiere, MD, medical director for respiratory therapy services at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) and Stanley John, NSUH’s director of respiratory therapy, developed this method with the non-invasive Philips Respironics V60 BiPAP machine. The new pressure-controlled ventilator can be used with and without COVID-19 induced lung disease.

“We were able to imitate the design of the T-piece adapter and print the plastic-resin piece with our 3D printers,” said Todd Goldstein, PhD, director of 3D Design and Innovation at Northwell Health. “If the need arises, we would be able to print 150 adaptors in 24-hours.”

Drs. Cassiere, Goldstein, and Stanley John successfully tested the conversion of the BiPAP machine using the standard, non-3D printed adaptor for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. They have also tested the 3D printed T-adaptor and have ramped up production to adopt the 3D printed adaptor clinically in the coming days.

In an effort to help other hospital systems across the nation, Northwell Health will share the new protocols to convert the BiPAP machine as well as share the T-adapter 3D print design online.

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