Sparkling water brand SodaStream has developed a device to offer respiratory assistance to COVID-19 patients.
The Stream02 device, which is designed to assist patients with mild to moderate cases, was developed in collaboration with the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, where a clinical trial involving 40 patients is currently underway in the intensive care unit.
Described as a nasal breathing therapy, the device is designed to aid those experiencing respiratory distress who are still breathing spontaneously, by delivering the optimal oxygen levels required. It can also, in some patients, avoid the need for invasive intubation and it’s hoped the device will free up respiratory machines for those experiencing more severe symptoms.
It works by administrating an oxygen-air mixture through the nose at high flow rates, based on a thermodynamic system, and provides visual and audible indications of critical parameters humidity, temperature and oxygen percentages and signals an alert if abnormalities occur.
It was created by a specially chosen team of SodaStream development engineers, led by head of research and development Avi Cohen and with input from senior ICU physician at Hadassah Dr Akiva Nachishon and colleagues.
“We realized that there was an acute shortage of non-invasive respiratory aids to treat COVID-19 patients, and after recognizing there was a desire from the industry to help in dealing with this crisis, we tried to think outside the box,” Dr Nachshon said.
Mr Cohen said SodaStream had the capacity to mass produce the machines, which he hoped would aid the unprecedented and global demand for respiratory aids.
“The nasal breathing therapy machine developed by the joint team of doctors from Hadassah and SodaStream engineers can be a perfect life-saving solution. The advantage of our development is the ability to replicate it in bulk for patients suffering from respiratory distress in Israel and around the world.”