Improving oxygen uptake.
Ergotrics, a start-up supported by EIT Health, produces an Inflatable Prone Ventilation Support, which lifts patients into an optimal position for prone ventilation – improving oxygen uptake in a patients’ blood and reducing staff workload. Hospitals in Belgium are already using the IPV to support coronavirus patients.
The Belgian start-up had already launched a solution for lifting and positioning patients before spine surgery. Using the same know-how of ergonomics and hygiene, in combination with compressed air as a power source, Ergotrics on 26 March 2019 launched a solution for prone ventilation of patients in the intensive care unit. This development arrived just in time to assist in the fight with COVID-19.
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Scientific studies emphasise the benefits of ventilation in the prone position. The experience of Belgian hospitals has confirmed the advantage of this technique for COVID-19 patients. The Ergotrics Inflatable Prone Ventilation Support cushions lift the patients into an optimal position for ventilation, allowing the abdomen to hang free. This can improve oxygen uptake in the patient’s blood.
Ergotrics IPV cushions are the world’s first disposable positioning. They are designed for single patient use, helping prevent the spread of infections between patients. The Ergotrics solution uses compressed air instead of manual force, which means it takes fewer nurses to position a patient.
Egotrics’ team benefited from EIT Health support through the EIT Health Launchlab 2017 and the EIT Health Headstart Prorgramme in 2018.
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