Twenty-first century ‘iron lung’ to help patients breathe could be ready before the end of the year

A new version of ‘iron lung’ technology which was used to help thousands of polio patients to breathe, could be available on NHS wards before the end of 2021.

A team of scientists, engineers and doctors are to make a bid to the UK’s medical devices regulator to obtain approval for the use of the device, which they say could prevent some patients needing to be sedated and the use of invasive ventilators.

The exovent works in the same way as the old iron lungs by creating a negative pressure vacuum around the patient which forces air to be sucked into the lungs. It can either be use to help patients to breathe or it can completely take over their breathing.

As the device fits over the patient on a hospital bed, there is no need for sedation and the patient can remain awake, talking, eating and drinking.

The team involved in the project, who set up charity Exovent to develop their idea, started work on it last year in response to fears the UK and other countries would run out of ventilators due to the demand from coronavirus patients.

Ian Joesbury, chief executive of Exovent, said “There are enormous benefits, not just to the NHS here in the UK, but globally. Every 40 seconds a child dies of pneumonia and we are developing a lower cost model of exovent which could be used to treat these patients because you don’t need an intensive care unit or an anaesthetist.

“The exovent could reduce the frequency of patients being ventilated where they are knocked out and a tube put down their throat and not knowing whether they are going to wake up or not. With exovent, patients can stay awake throughout the process.

“There are lots patients with conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia who need respiratory support and his is a much kinder way to deliver that support and it reduces the risk of lung damage which exists with mechanical ventilation.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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