The MHRA has issued a national patient safety alert covering ResMed Astral 100 and 150 ventilators and related circuit-board spare parts manufactured before October 2024.
An internal supercapacitor may leak electrolyte and damage the printed circuit board, causing ventilation to stop unexpectedly. The ventilator can become inoperable and unable to restart, meaning alternative ventilation is needed immediately.
The regulator reports an occurrence rate of about 0.1% over the device's eight-year service life. Despite that low rate, an interruption could cause serious injury or death because the devices provide life-sustaining support to adults and children in hospitals, community care and homes.
Patients should not stop using a ventilator unless their clinical team advises them to do so and an alternative is available. Providers are instructed to follow the safety notice, prioritise higher-risk patients and maintain contingency plans while replacement circuit boards remain constrained.
