Do we need new ventilator protocol to treat COVID-19 in India?

With the coronavirus pandemic striking hard and spreading rapidly in India, a big question arises whether we need a new COVID-19 ventilator protocol to treat infected patients in the country?

New Delhi, April 9 With the coronavirus pandemic striking hard and spreading rapidly in India, a big question arises whether we need a new COVID-19 ventilator protocol to treat infected patients in the country?

According to Manoj Goel, Director, Pulmonology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute in New Delhi, the principle of ventilation in corona patients follows the same protocol as in any other case of serious pneumonia due to any other cause.

"However, the handling of the ventilator, the process of putting them on a ventilator and care of the patient on ventilator required extra measure which includes using various protective measures of preventing infection from the patient to the surrounding atmosphere which can lead to infection through the air to others," Goel told .

The other point is that these patients generally require more prolonged and high levels of ventilator support as compared to other patients, the doctor said.

"Many times they are ventilated in a prone position which means patients are made to lie on their tummy rather than the back. It is more difficult to remove them from the ventilator which means the weaning from ventilators is also more prolonged, difficult and associated with higher chances of failure," he added.

Satyanarayana Mysore, HOD, Interventional Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Manipal Hospitals in Bengaluru, told : "The original patients profile from Wuhan showed lung predominant involvement. This was presented in the form of pneumonia, ARDS

( With inputs from IANS )