TVS Group develops an affordable respiratory assist device, Sundaram Ventago
TVS Group along with the Sundaram Medical Foundation and IIT Madras have jointly developed a low-cost automated respiratory assist device, Sundaram Ventago. As described by the company, the device provides respiratory support to patients, via the controlled and automated squeezing of a self-inflating or AMBU bag and includes functionalities to control respiratory rate (breaths per minute), tidal volume, pressure parameters and I:E ratios. Sundaram Ventago is a result of collaboration between the above mentioned groups along with Kauvery Hospital and the Madras Medical College, overseen by educational institutions like MIT-Boston. The first batch of 25 pieces are under production at the Brakes India facility of the TVS Group.
Primarily made for patients with respiratory difficulty surpassing ventilator capacity, Sundaram Ventago is said to be useful in remote and rural areas where ventilator facilities are not available. Among the important features of the Sundaram Ventago, the fact that it can work with or without compressed/hospital air and oxygen and requires only a standard power connection to operate (easy to use in non-ICU wards, ambulances, remote/rural areas) makes it extremely convenient to use. The device can also be used in conjunction with a standard UPS and mounted on a crash cart, wheelchair, bed, in an ambulance etc. to support patient mobility and to be used as an emergency transport ventilator.
The development of the cost-effective respiratory assist device was done with a cross-functional team of top anesthesiologists, pulmonologists and intensivists from leading hospitals to integrate clinical inputs into the design. The simple design comprises three major assemblies - the actuator unit, the electronic control module and the AMBU bag with patient airway circuit. The device has been functionally validated to international standards and an extensive risk analysis has been performed with Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre of IIT Madras. The ethics committee at Kauvery hospital is in the process of evaluating the device. The device is ready to go into production and manufacturing will be scaled up in line with orders received, mentions the company.
"Looking at the number of COVID-19 cases in India and using proxies around the world, we need to do everything we can to supplement our healthcare system. The TVS group has leveraged its engineering talent and its quality first approach to develop an affordable respiratory assist device. The Sundaram Ventago is a 'Make in India' product with a local supply chain, based on proven global technology. It can be produced quickly in larger numbers. The Sundaram Ventago will also have a great impact post-COVID as this device can make respiratory support more affordable and available to all," commented Sriram Viji, deputy managing director Brakes India, TVS Group.
User training and support will be provided through a dedicated mobile app. The other partners for Sundaram Ventago are Vibromech, Janatics, Aditya Auto and Syrmatech.
