How To Ventilate COVID-19 Patients?

In ICU
Mon, 22 Feb 2021

ICU Management & Practice, Volume 21 - Issue 1, 2021

TwinStream® ICU with p-BLV® (Pulsatile Bilevel Ventilation)

The Austrian critical care ventilator TwinStream® ICU was designed with the explicit purpose of saving critically respiratory-distressed patients. In particular those patients with severe lung diseases (e.g. ARDS) who can no longer be supported with conventional ventilation.

Its unique p-BLV® mode has become an established value in many Intensive Care Units in Austrian and German hospitals. And when severe multi-trauma patients are admitted the TwinStream® ICU often proves to be an effective last resort.

Since the start of the pandemic the TwinStream® ICU has become an invaluable asset in the fight against COVID-19. Prof. Dr. Thomas Uhlig, Clinic director and head of the ICU at the Lüdenscheid Clinic, Germany, explains:

Why is the TwinStream® ICU such an important asset in the fight against COVID-19?

“We ventilate all COVID-19 patients which require intubation with the TwinStream® ICU first, until we see a clear improvement of the oxygenation, because p-BLV® is much more efficient at recruiting lung volumes than other ventilation methods.

Hypercapnia is another problem we are faced with after non-invasive ventilation. With p-BLV® we can kill two birds with one stone. Its combination of high-frequency ventilation (improved oxygenation) and low-frequency ventilation (efficient CO2 elimination) makes it our most effective ventilation method for this type of patients".

How long are COVID-19 patients usually ventilated by the TwinStream® ICU?

“As soon as the PaO2/FiO2 ratio and airway pressures are again within a tolerable range, a conventional ventilator can take over. But if there is an acute deterioration, we ventilate with the TwinStream® ICU again. Our average patient is ventilated for around 14 days, of which on average around 5-7 days with the TwinStream® ICU".