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Abkürzungen
COVID-19
Corona virus disease 2019
N95
A medical mask meeting the N95 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health air filtration rating (USA)
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Refers to:
Huang L, Lin G, Tang L, Yu L, Zhou Z. Special attention to nurses’ protection during the COVID-19 epidemic. Crit Care. 2020;24(1):120.
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SARS-CoV-2 can actively replicate in the upper respiratory tract and is shed for a prolonged time after symptoms end [1]. The prolonged viral shedding in sputum is relevant for hospital infection control [1]. Hospital-related transmission of the virus is a large threat to healthcare workers [2] especially if COVID-19 patients are treated by non-invasive ventilation or high-flow nasal oxygen [3].
Leonard et al. have recently proposed to use a surgical mask for the patient treated by high-flow nasal oxygen. At 40 L × min−1, the surgical mask captured 83.2% of particles [3]. It remains unclear if this is effective with increased flow velocities, and it does not apply to many aerosol-generating medical interventions.
For healthcare workers performing aerosol-generating procedures on patients with COVID-19, using fitted respirator masks (e.g., N95 respirators) in addition to other personal protective equipment (i.e., gloves, gown, eye protection, such as a face shield or goggles) has been recommended [4]. This equipment is mainly based on disposable materials, and the supply is limited in the context of the pandemic [5].
A new mobile and reusable protection system has been established. Medical staff might use it in addition to the personal protection measures already in operation.
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The construction (Fig. 1) is made of a commercially available and easy to process opaque aluminum composite panel (bottom) on swivel castors and a transparent acrylic glass (top). A detailed description is available (DOI https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/2s93d; https://osf.io/2s93d/).
Fig. 1
The universal mobile protection system. Schematic outline from a the user’s side, b the lateral view, and c the bottom view. d Picture of the top of the system, view is towards the patient’s side, and two openings are in the middle of shield. e Protection shield used during transesophageal echocardiography. f Picture taken in the theater just after extubation of a patient. h The prototype was used in a test track: videolaryngoscopically guided rapid sequence intubation was trained with a dummy in combination with the protection system
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Unique features of the system are as follows: protective equipment neither worn by staff nor patients, but is placed on the ground and can be moved around on castors; flexible system for confined spaces, in operating rooms or functional areas; the transparent protective screen with an angled field of vision; and side shields deflect and prevent aerosols to be inhaled by the user. Openings allow personnel to treat patients without significantly reducing the shielding effect. The shielding has been visualized by steam tests (videos are provided online https://osf.io/7u2tv).
It might be used in addition to established protection measures for aerosol-generating procedures, e.g., for patient care during high-flow or non-invasive ventilation therapy, in-/extubation, upper GI endoscopy, bronchoscopy, transesophageal echocardiography, or drainage.
In those times, disposable protection gear is scarce, and the robust, easy-to-disinfect, reusable, mobile protection system might be helpful for medical personnel to work more safely in vulnerable situations. The universal, mobile protection system was evaluated in a test track and is considered useful by the main medical disciplines involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Acknowledgements
This project was set up in a collaboration with the team of the Munich Clinic Bogenhausen and Schwabing. The following collaborators contributed to this project: Munich Clinic Collaboration Group: Volz S.1, Dorwarth U.1, Engel M.1, Schneider N.2, Lärmer J.2, Nagel B.2, Friederich P.4, Fisch R.4, Riess A.4, Benedikter J.5, Meyer F.J.5,6, Lewerenz B.7, Schepp W.7, Schmid M.8, Dodt C.8, Schmidt W.1, Weidenbach K.1, Rogowski S.1, Kossmann H.1, Berger M.1, Gatos C.1, Wuerstl B.9, and Deichstetter M.1
Special thanks go to Kevin Thuma und Halil Sayar, and the team of Matthias Wenzel (Wenzel GmbH, Munich, Germany) who advanced the project with great enthusiasm and precision in the phase of technical implementation and development of the prototype.
Dipl.-Ing. Rene Gross (Munich, Germany) gave technical advice in the area of material science. Many thanks to the cath lab personnel who helped with the gradual disinfection exposure tests.
1Department of Cardiology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine, Munich Clinic Bogenhausen, Academic Teaching Hospital, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
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2Department of Cardiology, Pneumology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine, Munich Clinic Schwabing, Academic Teaching Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
3Department of Hematology, Oncology, Immunology, Palliative Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Munich Clinic Schwabing, Academic Teaching Hospital (LMU), Kölner Platz 1, 80804 Munich, Germany
9Department of Hygiene and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Munich Clinic Schwabing, Academic Teaching Hospital (LMU), Munich Germany
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Ethics approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
All individuals in the pictures of Fig. 1 gave written consent for publication. All the contributors and all person named in the “Acknowledgements” section gave written consent to have their name mentioned in this publication.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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