Singapore breathes deeply with ALung

The National University Hospital (NUH) Singapore is teaming with ALung Technologies to assess the potential of the Pittsburgh spin-out’s technology being used in treating acute respiratory failure.

The two are partnering on a clinical study to see if ALung’s extracorporeal CO2 removal technologies can be used in treating moderate-to-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

ARDS, triggered by conditions such as pneumonia and trauma, can affect critically ill patients, and normally requires mechanical ventilation to treat. However, mechanical ventilation can worsen ARDS, meaning a patient requires the procedure to survive, but can face more complications. The study is seeking to demonstrate that ALung’s technology alongside a Hemolung Respiratory Assist System (RAS) can provide a safer, more effective treatment.

Matthew Cove, the consultant at NUH who is leading the study, said: “To date, only one major intervention has consistently shown reduced mortality in ARDS patients – low tidal volume ventilation, referred to as lung protective ventilation. Despite these advancements, the optimal volume which protects the injured lung is not yet known. However, mounting evidence suggests that lower tidal volumes and plateau pressures than those we currently use, a strategy called ultra-protective ventilation, may be even more effective. A side effect of this strategy is carbon dioxide retention, which in this study will be controlled through the provision of ECCO2R with the Hemolung RAS.”