As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause havoc in communities worldwide; researchers, product manufacturers are striving to develop protection gear, line of treatment to contain the crisis. In a new development, researchers have designed a constant flow plastic canopy system. The gear is to provide protection to healthcare workers who are at risk of contracting coronavirus infection via air, while rendering non-invasive ventilation or oxygen using high flow nasal canula. The research is available for access in the European Respiratory Journal.
Clinically, ventilator support either high flow nasal canula or non-invasive ventilation is often used to treat individuals with respiratory failure- a symptom of serious coronavirus disease. This helps patients with breathing difficulties to breathe by pushing pressured air into the lungs, for which a mask is used to cover the mouth and nose.
Gear Suitable for Protection during Non-invasive Respiratory Support
Using this gear, the need for invasive mechanical ventilators can be alleviated. However, concerns remain for increased risk of infection for healthcare workers who treat patients with non-invasive respiratory support.
“In current state of the crisis, there is shortage of access to negative pressure facilities and invasive mechanical ventilators,” explains the lead of the research team. To address this, healthcare workers need to adapt so as to continue to treat patients in the best possible way, while protecting their health and safety.
In this scenario, non-invasive ventilation is a solution but it carries risk of infection for healthcare workers. This is because virus particles can transmit via air due to mask leakage, from coughing of patient, or speed and direction of air flow. Hence, the constant flow canopy system designed and developed addresses this risk, which eliminates risk of exposure of healthcare workers to this potentially dangerous situation.