Helmet Modification to PPE With 3D Printing During the COVID-19 Pandemic at Duke University Medical Center: A Novel Technique.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Care for patients during COVID-19 poses challenges that require the protection of staff with recommendations that health care workers wear at minimum, an N95 mask or equivalent while performing an aerosol-generating procedure with a face shield. The United States faces shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), and surgeons who use loupes and headlights have difficulty using these in conjunction with face shields. Most arthroplasty surgeons use surgical helmet systems, but in the current pandemic, many hospitals have delayed elective arthroplasty surgeries and the helmet systems are going unused. As a result, the authors have begun retrofitting these arthroplasty helmets to serve as PPE. The purpose of this article is to outline the conception, design, donning technique, and safety testing of these arthroplasty helmets being repurposed as PPE.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Erickson, MM; Richardson, ES; Hernandez, NM; Bobbert, DW; Gall, K; Fearis, P

Published Date

  • July 2020

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 35 / 7S

Start / End Page

  • S23 - S27

PubMed ID

  • 32354536

Pubmed Central ID

  • PMC7166108

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1532-8406

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.arth.2020.04.035

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States