Leading tyre manufacturer Michelin has jointly developed 50 air cushion prototypes with Amiens-Picardie University Hospital – the air cushion kits are intended for patients suffering from respiratory distress i.e. in a medically-induced coma and placed on a ventilator; they are now available in the intensive care units in four French hospitals.
The new air cushions mean patients can be treated in prone position (lying face down) for better ventilation of the lungs. Made up of seven modular components that can be arranged to suit different patient morphologies also means the kits improve patients’ comfort and prevent pressure sores from developing on their chest, pelvis, face, or other fragile parts of the body.
As early as March, Michelin was quick to mobilise several task force teams in response to an appeal from cardiac surgeon Dr. Gilles Touati from the Amiens-Picardie University Hospital. The Michelin team then spent time at SimUSanté, Europe’s largest healthcare simulation and training centre, prior to the creation of the Michelin Air Cushion Prototypes.
Two patents have recently been filed for the invention.
“Our critical care resources have been disrupted and overwhelmed by the current health crisis, and this productive collaboration with Michelin has allowed us to develop versatile alternatives to the equipment we use for patients in acute respiratory distress who need to be kept lying face down,” said Dr. Touati.
“Thanks to this development […] several prototypes were created and tested on patients in order to obtain an extremely advanced modular structure that allowed us to reduce and even eliminate pressure on different parts of a patient’s body as well as the risk of sores. It also helped to improve mechanical ventilation, which was unexpected and another excellent benefit,” added Dr. Thomas Godet from the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital. France.
Philippe Jacquin, Director of Development for Two-Wheel and Automotive Tires, Michelin, said,“All of these initiatives, sponsored at the highest level of the Group and driven by the commitment of various teams determined to put their support and expertise to the best possible use in the race against time, are another reflection of the importance Michelin places on people and their health and wellbeing. It’s one of our fundamental values.
“The development of these air cushion kits also highlights Michelin’s capacity for innovation and the potential bridges that exist between tyre manufacturing and a multitude of other sectors like the healthcare industry for example.”
The air cushions are yet another example of Michelin’s initiatives to fight the coronavirus pandemic, alongside reusable masks, protective visors and 3D-printed components for artificial ventilators.