Technical Comparison: WHO COVID-19 Specifications for Invasive Ventilators and the Gradian CCV
WHO COVID-19 Specifications for Invasive Ventilators and the Gradian CCV
WHO COVID-19 Specifications for Invasive Ventilators and the Gradian CCV
Many of Gradian Health Systems’ customers and partners have inquired about how the Gradian Comprehensive Care Ventilator (Gradian CCV) compares with the World Health Organization’s specifications for ventilators for COVID-19 response. This brief provides a summary of how the Gradian CCV compares with WHO specifications for invasive intensive care, transport, and sub-acute care ventilators.
This brief has been developed by Gradian Health Systems and is not an indication of endorsement by the WHO.
COVID-19 AND MECHANICAL VENTILATION: The WHO estimates that 2.5 to 5 percent of all COVID-19 patients will need mechanical ventilation for breathing support. Mechanical ventilation may be invasive—where a tube is inserted into the patient’s airway—or non-invasive—where air and oxygen are administered through an interface like a facial or nasal mask.
WHO VENTILATOR GUIDANCE: 
To guide governments and other entities on the procurement of ventilators that meet clinical, infrastructure, and sustainability needs, the WHO has developed and updated the minimum technical specifications for invasive and non-invasive ventilators on their website since the start of the pandemic. The latest version of these specifications were published in the Priority Medical Devices List for the COVID-19 Response and Associated Technical Specifications: Interim Guidance on Nov. 19, 2020 and include specifications for intensive care, transport, and sub-acute care ventilators.
THE GRADIAN CCV: The Gradian CCV is an innovative, easy-to-use mechanical ventilator that provides respiratory support across the full critical care continuum, via both invasive and non-invasive ventilation. It is built to ventilate critically-ill adult and pediatric (>5kg), and to operate safely despite infrastructure issues such as unstable access to oxygen and power, with a 7-hour internal battery (and the option for a 14-hour external battery), and the ability to use most oxygen sources, including low-flow oxygen. Each CCV comes standard with installation, technical orientation, multi-day hands-on clinical user training, and a three-year service and parts warranty carried out by local Gradian-certified technicians.
OVERALL COMPARISON: Our comparison finds that the Gradian CCV fulfills or exceeds most of the essential specifications across the WHO’s three invasive ventilator categories. The Gradian CCV combines the key aspects of specialized ICU ventilators, transport ventilators, and sub-acute care ventilators into one versatile and portable device, enabling use cases that have traditionally required multiple pieces of equipment. The areas where the Gradian CCV’s standard package does not meet WHO specifications can be addressed by system upgrades upon request or have been intentionally designed to avoid increased up-front and operating costs, risks to machine durability, or impacts on usability.
