title: Performance of Portable Ventilators Following Storage at Temperature Extremes.
abstract: In the current theater of operation, medical devices are often shipped and stored at ambient conditions. The effect of storage at hot and cold temperature extremes on ventilator performance is unknown. We evaluated three portable ventilators currently in use or being evaluated for use by the Department of Defense (731, Impact Instrumentation; T1, Hamilton Medical; and Revel, CareFusion) at temperature extremes in a laboratory setting. The ventilators were stored at temperatures of 60°C and -35°C for 24 hours and were allowed to acclimate to room temperature for 30 minutes before evaluation. The T1 required an extra 15 to 30 minutes of acclimation to room temperature before the ventilator would deliver breaths. All delivered tidal volumes at room temperature and after storage at temperature extremes were less than the ±10% American Society for Testing and Materials standard with the Revel. Delivered tidal volumes at the pediatric settings were less than the ±10% threshold after storage at both temperatures and at room temperature with the 731. Storage at extreme temperature affected the performance of the portable ventilators tested. This study showed that portable ventilators may need an hour or more of acclimation time at room temperature after storage at temperature extremes to operate as intended.
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma/Critical Care, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0558.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Blakeman
authors.affiliation: United States Air Force, Cincinnati Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills (C-STARS), University of Cincinnati Medical Center, 234 Goodman Street, Cincinnati, OH 45219.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodriquez
authors.affiliation: United States Air Force, Cincinnati Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills (C-STARS), University of Cincinnati Medical Center, 234 Goodman Street, Cincinnati, OH 45219.
authors.forename: Tyler J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma/Critical Care, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0558.
authors.forename: Jay A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Johannigman
authors.affiliation: United States Air Force, Cincinnati Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills (C-STARS), University of Cincinnati Medical Center, 234 Goodman Street, Cincinnati, OH 45219.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Petro
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma/Critical Care, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0558.
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Branson
mesh_terms: D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004868:Equipment Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D013990:Tidal Volume; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data