The Role of the iLA Membrane Ventilator® in H1N1

26/06/2009 

Due to the increasing number of customer inquiries concerning the current H1N1 influenza virus pandemic (also referred to as “swine flu” or “Mexican flu”) Novalung would like to provide the following information concerning the role of the iLA Membrane Ventilator® in the treatment of patients with an acute H1N1 infection.

Depending on the severity of the disease, influenza patients may develop severe pneumonia with massive fluid secretion into the lung. The resulting limitation or elimination of gas exchange leads to acute lung failure, potentially ending in the patient “drowning”. Antiviral therapy is generally not effective any more in this stage of the disease. Mechanical ventilation to ensure gas exchange is therefore necessary for a period of approximately 5-14 days until recovery.

In most cases modern “protective” mechanical ventilation is sufficient to treat these patients. However, mechanical ventilation itself contributes to further lung damage. By providing extrapulmonary lung support the iLA Membrane Ventilator® can help protect the lung and promote healing, since the invasiveness of mechanical ventilation is reduced and so-called „ultra-protective” ventilation is made possible. The lung is thus given “Time to Heal”®.

This effect applies to all other viral pneumonias as well (e.g., SARS, avian influenza, etc.).

Additional information on influenza can be found on the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. For information on the iLA Membrane Ventilator® click here.

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