Size- and time-dependent aerosol removal from a protective box during simulated intubation and extubation procedures

Pirker, Luka (author), Čebašek, Metod (author), Serdinšek, Matej (author), Remškar, Maja (author)

Because the SARS-CoV-2 virus primarily spreads through droplets and aerosols, a protective box could provide adequate protection by shielding medical professionals during the intubation and extubation procedures from generated droplets and aerosols. In this study, size- and timedependent aerosol concentrations were measured inside and outside the protective box in the particle size ranging from 14 nm to 20 µm during simulated intubation and extubation procedures. An improved protective box with active ventilation was designed based on a plastic bag with armholes covered with latex sheets that utilizes a supportive frame. Coughing during the intubation and extubation procedure was simulated using an aerosol generator which dispersed the aerosol powder into the protective box. During the intubation and extubation procedure, the concentration of particles increased inside the protective box but, due to the high negative airflow, quickly dropped to background levels. The particle concentration of all measured particle sizes decreased within the same time frame. No leakage of particles was observed through the armhole openings. The presented protective box design provides excellent protection against generated droplets and aerosols. The decrease in concentration does not depend on the particle size. Outside the box, particle concentration did not change with time.

• Language: English
• Keywords: aerosol-generating procedure, COVID-19, extubation, intubation, protective box
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: Str. 315-324
• Numbering: Vol. 1, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-136172
• UDC: 61
• ISSN on article: 2673-8112
• DOI: 10.3390/covid1010025
• COBISS.SI-ID: 93028355
• Publication date in RUL: 14.04.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: COVID
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2673-8112
• COBISS.SI-ID: 78587651

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 01.09.2021

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P1-0099
• Name: Fizika mehkih snovi, površin in nanostruktur