Accessories for CPAP therapy

Full set of accessories including oxygen mask; CPAP pole mount; CPAP mount; lower system assembly UCL Ventura CPAP patient circuit (C20-03-0078-02B) including C-PEEP fixed value PEEP valve (2210000), Flo-Guard breathing filter (1690000), Smooth bore tube (5018000) and PEEP flow indicator (7060-01) made by Intersurgical in collaboration with UCL, 2020, version 3.0 on 9 April 2020; upper system assembly UCL Ventura CPAP patient circuit including two T-piece (1985000), Flo-Guard breathing filter (1690000), Straight connector (19677000), Pressure manometer (7162000) and C-PEEP fixed valve PEEP valve (2220000) made by Intersurgical in collaboration with UCL, 2020, version 3.0 on 9 April 2020; Ventura CPAP User Guide version 2.0; UCL-Ventura CPAP Clinical Guidance version 1.0, 9 April 2020 and UCL-Ventura Background Info and Re-Supply version 1.0, 19 April 2020 for use with models of the UCL-Ventura CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) Flow Generator collaboratively developed by UCL (University College London) Institute of Healthcare Engineering, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), and the Mercedes Amg High Performance Powertrains team, for use in the COVID-19 pandemic

The UCL Ventura CPAP consists of three parts - the system flow generator, disposable circuit including tubing and an oxygen mask and a reusable oxygen analyser. For these accessories, they partnered with Intersurgical, a company making devices for respiratory care. There were huge supply challenges to ensure all the accessories were available and in total 20,000 metres of tubing

During the first wave of the COVID-19, opinion was split on which was the best technique to help people with COVID-19 in hospital breathe. Information from Italy and China through Prof Meryn Singer recommended Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure) pushes a steady flow of air oxygen into a person’s nose and mouth either through an oxygen mask or oxygen hood. However, only 12 stand alone CPAP devices were available across UCLH Trust. To help meet demand, a multidisciplinary team led by Professor Rebecca Shipley and Professor Tim Baker reverse engineered and improved an off patent device called Respironics WhisperFlow®. The UCL and UCLH team consisted of Singer, Prof David Lomas, Dr Tom Peach, Dr Tom Rushton, and Mr Peter Weston.

Alongside colleagues, Andy Cowell, Ben Hodgkinson and Pierre Godof, from Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, the team took fewer than 100 hours from their initial meeting producing their first prototype. Ten days after their first meeting, the Mark I Ventura had regulatory approval from MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency).

The team had to work in a bubble due to COVID-19 restrictions, often moving into hotels to protect their loved ones and colleagues, spending weeks away from home. For their work, the team were awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering’s President’s Special Award for Pandemic Services in 2021. Rebecca Shipley was awarded an OBE and Tim Baker a MBE for their work.