3D - printed anaesthesia machine for low - income countries and challenging situations

Anaesthetic treatment in emergency situations such as natural disasters and war zones presents an important challenge with numerous difficulties and limitations. The main problems come from the lack of resources and the inadequately equipped structures of the environment. 3D - printed devices are an affordable solution in these emergency situations since many devices can be produced through the use of 3D printers, a technology that is increasingly taking over. In this project, a 3D - printed anaesthesia machine was developed using Taulman Nylon 230, a material compatible with two of the most commonly used anaesthetics in difficult situations: trichloroethylene and isoflurane. Because anaesthesiologists enrolled in this field of work are used the equipment used in modern hospitals, this device was developed with a design similar to modern draw-over inhalation anaesthesia devices but modified to make it easily transportable. Some of the parts of the device are not 3D printed, but rather from components that are considered to be available in emergency zones, such as a bicycle inner tube or a glass jar. This device was designed, manufactured and subsequently tested, with results that look promising. The next step would be to test the device in animals to check for its functionality and safety, and later take the testing to the field, to check its performance at different temperatures and in real situations.