During epidemics or pandemics affecting the respiratory systems, hospital equipment such as ventilators may become insufficient and different solutions can be considered. In fast spreading respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 due to the rapidly increasing number of patients, ventilatory machine insufficiencies may appear. It may be considered to use one hospital ventilator for more than one patient by dividing the airway of the machine with a specially designed splitter. The aim of this study was to determine whether a ventilator can be modified to provide ventilation of two or more patients simultaneously by using 3D designed and manufactured splitters. A two-port and four-port splitter were designed in Autodesk Fusion 360 computer program and manufactured by 3D printer using PolyJet technology (Stratasys J750). Two sets of splitters were used to adapt to the ventilator during trial process: one for inspiratory and one for expiratory outputs. Two intensive care specialists voluntarily tried this study on themselves. It was concluded from the study that 3D designed and manufactured two-port splitter can be used to separate the airway of a single ventilator to multiple patients within a very limited indication and time interval.

中文翻译：

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用于在 COVID-19 期间对多个患者使用单个呼吸机的 3D 打印分离器

在影响呼吸系统的流行病或大流行期间，呼吸机等医院设备可能会变得不足，可以考虑不同的解决方案。在快速传播的呼吸道疾病（如 COVID-19）中，由于患者数量迅速增加，可能会出现呼吸机功能不全的情况。可以考虑用专门设计的分流器将机器的气道分开，使一台医院呼吸机用于一个以上的病人。本研究的目的是确定是否可以修改呼吸机以通过使用 3D 设计和制造的分离器同时为两名或更多患者提供通气。在 Autodesk Fusion 360 计算机程序中设计了一个二端口和四端口分离器，并使用 PolyJet 技术（Stratasys J750）通过 3D 打印机制造。在试用过程中使用了两组分离器来适应呼吸机：一组用于吸气输出，一组用于呼气输出。两名重症监护专家自愿对自己进行了这项研究。从研究中得出结论，3D设计和制造的双端口分流器可用于在非常有限的适应症和时间间隔内将单个呼吸机的气道分离到多个患者。