New Delhi, Mar 30 (IANS): To cater to the requirement of oxygen supply for multiple patients during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, personnel from Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam has designed an innovative 'portable multi-feed oxygen manifold (MOM)' using a six-way radial header fitted to a single cylinder.

After successful trials, the dockyard has started manufacturing of the oxygen cylinder that can cater to six patients at one time.

This innovation would enable one oxygen cylinder to supply to six patients concurrently, thus enabling critical care management to a larger number of COVID-19 patients with the existing limited resources.

The entire set up was made operational by the manufacturing of a Fine Adjustment Reducer and specific adapters of requisite dimensions for connecting the oxygen cylinder and the portable multi-feed oxygen manifold.

A typical oxygen providing facility at hospitals comprises an oxygen cylinder feeding only one patient through a Ventimask arrangement.

During the ongoing pandemic, ventilator support will be required for about 5-8 per cent of patients with symptoms whereas a large number of patients would require oxygen support.

The existing facilities are not adequate to cater to such large requirements.

"A need was therefore felt to design a suitable portable arrangement that could provide oxygen through masks to a number of needy patients using a single-cylinder during emergencies which is the need of the hour," Navy Spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

The preliminary trials of the entire assembly were conducted at the medical inspection room in the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, which was followed by rapid trials at the Naval Hospital INHS Kalyani wherein the portable multi-feed oxygen manifold was successfully set up within 30 minutes.

After successful trials, the Naval Dockyard has commenced manufacturing of 10 portable multi-feed oxygen manifold with two six-way radial headers catering to 120 patients at makeshift locations.