They say that necessity is the mother of invention. In that vein, a top New York hospital system is repurposing its anesthetics-dispensing equipment and other devices into makeshift breathing machines since most of its ventilators are already hooked up to COVID-19 patients.
The Northwell hospital system that runs the Lenox Hill, Long Island Jewish and Staten Island University hospitals says 75 percent of its ventilators are already occupied — with the apex of the coronavirus crisis still weeks away. “We’re converting 300 anesthesia machines into ventilators,” Northwell spokesman Terry Lynam told The Post.
He said 75 of the machines, used to sedate patients during surgery, have already been converted to ventilators to help COVID-19 patients breathe through intubation. Northwell’s hospitals are also using 3D parts to repurpose 300 BIPAP [Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure] machines used to treat sleep apnea patients into ventilators.
Read the full story at New York Post.