Innovations in Non-Invasive Ventilation with Aurika Savickaite

Pre-Hospital Care Podcast

In this conversation we will examine the latest in non-invasive ventilation via the helmet interface. Recent empirical research has shown that ventilation via helmet can mean faster recovery time, shortening an ICU stay, reduces the need to intubate, lowers ICU mortality, and can result in minimal or no sedation of the patient.

Aurika Savickaite is a registered based in Chicago and was involved in the successful testing of the helmet ventilator in the ICU at the University of Chicago during a three-year trial study. Aurika has worked as a registered nurse and patient care manager at the University of Chicago Medical Centre, Medical Intensive Care Unit, and as a staff nurse at Vilnius University Hospital, in the intensive care unit. She earned a Bachelor of Rehabilitation and Nursing at Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine in 2001.

Aurika is a recognized expert in noninvasive ventilation via the helmet interface and has garnered widespread respect within the medical community for her passionate work in this area. She was involved in a successful three-year trial study at the University of Chicago Medical Center that tested the effectiveness of helmet-based ventilation in the ICU. Drawing on this experience, Aurika founded HelmetBasedVentilation.com, a website that has become a valuable resource for medical professionals seeking to learn more about the benefits of helmets and their use in treating patients with respiratory distress. In the episode we cover:

• The story of exploration into NIV for Aurika and what did the covid pandemic reinforce?
• The benefits of NIV in general.
• What are the benefits of helmet ventilation over NIV mask ventilation (greater alveolar recruitment).
• The study - Effect of Non-invasive Ventilation Delivered by Helmet vs Face Mask on the Rate of Endotracheal Intubation in Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - A Randomized Clinical Trial.

• Commonly seen pathologies that benefit from NIV and the onward benefit.
• What are some of the pre-hospital benefits in transport and retrieval.
• The indications and contraindications of NIV.
• What the masters program taught Aurika (level of critical analysis)

The paper that Aurika refers to in the interview can be found here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2522693

Online course: https://www.helmetbasedventilation.com/Cesarano, M., Grieco, D.L., Michi, T. et al. Helmet noninvasive support for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: rationale, mechanism of action and bedside application. Ann. Intensive Care 12, 94 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13613-022-01069-7