An improvised oxygen supply system for pandemic and disaster use

Recent trends in the nanozeolites-based oxygen concentrators and their application in respiratory disorders

Medical-grade oxygen is the basic need for all medical complications, especially in respiratory-based discomforts. There was a drastic increase in the demand for medical-grade oxygen during the current pandemic. The non-availability of medical-grade oxygen led to several complications, including death. The oxygen concentrator was only the last hope for the patient during COVID-19 pandemic around the globe. The demands also are everlasting during other microbial respiratory infections. The yield of oxygen using conventional molecular zeolites in the traditional oxygen concentrator process is less than the yield noticed when its nano-form is used. Nanotechnology has enlightened hope for the efficient production of oxygen by such oxygen concentrators. Here in the current review work, the authors have highlighted the basic structural features of oxygen concentrators along with the current working principle. Besides, it has been tried to bridge the gap between conventional oxygen concentrators and advanced ones by using nanotechnology. Nanoparticles being usually within 100 nm in size have a high surface area to volume ratio, which makes them suitable adsorbents for oxygen. Here authors have suggested the use of nano zeolite in place of molecular zeolites in the oxygen concentrator for efficient delivery of oxygen by the oxygen concentrators.

Oxygen Supply in Hospitals: Requisites in the Current Pandemic

Medical oxygen is an essential medicine as is aptly stated by the World Health Organization. With the advent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and with increased lung involvement, oxygen has become a precious life-saving drug. With more than 200 million cases worldwide, this pandemic has put tremendous pressure on scarce healthcare resources. In a step toward our readiness for further COVID-19 waves, we would like to bring forth the information regarding oxygen supply in the hospitals. We searched various published literature in journals and books, as well as scientific databases, including PubMed Central, Google Scholar, National Medical Library, and Medline, using search terms as "oxygen sources," "oxygen supply," and "hospitals." The relevant articles published during the period of 1990-2021 and in the English language were selected. This article is an attempt to enrich the readers in further strengthening the oxygen supplies in hospitals during such pandemics and other natural disasters.

Practical Considerations for Converting Operating Rooms and Post-anaesthesia Care Units into Intensive Care Units in the COVID-19 Pandemic - Experience from a Large Singapore Tertiary Hospital

COVID-19 has spread globally, infecting and killing millions of people worldwide. The use of operating rooms (ORs) and the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) for intensive care is part of surge response planning. We aim to describe and discuss some of the practical considerations involved in a large tertiary hospital in Singapore. Firstly, considerations for setting up a level III intensive care unit (ICU) include that of space, staff, supplies and standards. Secondly, oxygen supply of the entire hospital is a major determinant of the number of ventilators it can support, including those on non-invasive forms of oxygen therapy. Thirdly, air flows due to positive pressure systems within the OR complex need to be addressed. In addition, due to the worldwide shortage of ICU ventilators, the US Food and Drug Administration has granted temporary approval for the use of anaesthesia gas machines for patients requiring mechanical ventilation. Lastly, planning of logistics and staff deployment needs to be carefully considered during a crisis. Although OR and PACU are not designed for long-term care of critically ill patients, they may be adapted for ICU use with careful planning in the current pandemic.