Fri, 4 Oct 2024
22.7 C
Durban

EC invention a ‘game changer’ in war on COVID

Home Business Management EC invention a ‘game changer’ in war on COVID

AN enterprising group of South African doctors, engineers and designers based in East London has invented a medical device that they believe will revolutionises oxygen delivery to COVID-19 patients.

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) recently approved the OxERA (Oxygen-Efficient Respiratory Aid) device for emergency COVID-19 use, and it will be manufactured and distributed by Gabler Medical.

It delivers consistently high levels of oxygen to COVID patients and helps keep their lungs from collapsing.

This comes as welcome news as healthcare workers struggle to contain a second wave of the deadly pandemic.

Its inventors – and physicians who have trialled it – believe it could be a game changer where there are a large number of COVID-19 patients yet a lack of skilled staff, ICU and high care facilities, as well as insufficient bulk oxygen supplies.

It is said to effectively bridges the gap between current standard oxygen therapy via face masks and ICU-based non-invasive or mechanical ventilation, while requiring no more oxygen flow than a standard face mask.

Dr Craig Parker, a medical officer working in anaesthetics with a background in mechanical engineering, said the group was determined to find a solution when they realised that South Africa would face similar patient loads seen in Europe during the pandemic, but would have limited high care capacity and fewer resources to respond.

They set up a social enterprise (a business with specific social objectives) in March 2020, trading as Umoya (‘air’ in isiXhosa). Drawing inspiration from sources as diverse as scuba diving equipment and 3D printing, they built a working prototype within two weeks, and a 3D-printed final design within seven weeks.

The overwhelming need of COVID-19 pneumonia patients is oxygen, said Parker.

OxERA’s key components are an anaesthetic mask and an adjustable mechanical valve, known as a positive end respiratory pressure (PEEP) valve. Oxygen supply is via a hose and accumulator bag, with the hose connected to any available oxygen source. A viral filter removes viral particles from expired air, which is a safety benefit for health practitioners using the device.

“The high oxygen level delivered by the device ensures that maximum oxygen content is available to diseased lungs. The valve on the device maintains slight pressure to prevent lungs from collapsing when the patient breathes out and reduces the amount of work it takes to breathe,” Parker said.

“Furthermore, as oxygen supply can be adjusted to patient demand, less oxygen is usually required. In our oxygen resource-constrained environment this is a game changer.

“It allows even the most basic facilities, which are dependent on bottled oxygen or small oxygen concentrators, to provide a higher level of care than they are currently able to.”

Field testing

The device has been used successfully in environments ranging from rural clinics to specialist hospitals, and by all levels of staff.

Hundreds of OxERAs have already been distributed to 25 hospitals from Cape Town to Pretoria, said Umoya Project Manager Trevor Rossouw, a civil engineer with a background in project and business management. These include the Volkswagen COVID-19 field hospital, Frere and Cecilia Makiwane Hospitals and many of the academic hospitals in the country.

Many rural hospitals such as Zithulele on the Wild Coast and Madwaleni near Elliotdale have benefited from the devices. They have also been used by GPs for home and clinic treatment. Devices have also been distributed as far as Zimbabwe, DRC and the Central African Republic.

Medical personnel who have seen and tested the device have been impressed by its simplicity of use, oxygen efficiency and clinical effectiveness.

Dr Michael Webb, a physician working in private practice in East London, has treated COVID-19 patients since the initial outbreak. He bought 10 masks on 24 December and by 1 January had treated a number of patients using them.

“I am personally very grateful to have access to these masks and can vouch for their utility in these unprecedented times,” Webb said.

Dr Carolyn Mason, a specialist physician in internal medicine in East London in the state sector, has personally used over 40 devices, mainly selecting patients aged 40 to 70 years who, due to comorbidities, would not have been ICU candidates.

“Their baseline oxygen saturations were all horrific and terrifying even to point of 20%. What was so amazing to me as a health care professional was to see the saturation improve to 90% and to eventually even successfully discharge these patients home was a blessing as they would not have survived,” Mason said.

Dr Warren Gregorowski, working in Internal Medicine at Frere Hospital in East London, said, “The device is very simple to assemble and user friendly. I have witnessed this device saving lives and I think that it could be used to great effect in hospitals throughout South Africa”.

Interest in the device should gather momentum as clinical trials are being arranged at Chris Hani Baragwaneth Academic Hospital which offers specialist services to referred patients.

A consortium was established between Umoya and Gabler Medical, a specialist medical device manufacturing firm founded in Cape Town over 50 years ago by Alfred Josef Gabler, a German instrument maker.

The device will be manufactured, distributed and supported by Gabler Medical, which holds ISO13485 certification and specialises in the manufacture of oxygen therapy equipment.

Reiner Gabler, MD of Gabler Medical, said industrialisation and licencing have been a lengthy process, but now that the company has obtained SAHPRA approval for the device they can focus on scaling up production.

“We can produce over 15,000 units a week, so capacity is not an issue. This will definitely create jobs during the pandemic and, if the product achieves general acceptance, also after the pandemic. The device holds export potential too,” Gabler said.

Most Popular

Know when to buy or rent a commercial property

COMMERCIAL property, whether rented or owned, will impact a small business’s cashflow, so making an informed decision will depend on a few factors that...

Truck order enhances pit-to-port logistics operation

FAW Trucks Southern Africa is proud to commemorate the significant handover of a FAW truck tractor and tipper fleet to BlackMagic Logistics Solutions through...

Foot and mouth update in the Eastern Cape

IN an update issued on 13 September, the Department of Agriculture said it had declared a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Disease Management Area...

DWS calls to save water for future generations

By Nthabiseng Dhlamini, communicator at the Department of Water and Sanitation OPINION |WATER is one of the most precious resources on our planet, yet it...