Application

Collapsible, single-use ‘pop-up tent’ system to prevent transmission of infectious disease during resuscitation and airway management.

Key Benefits

• Provides protective barrier to prevent transmission of infectious disease.
• Allows adequate access to the patient for airway management procedures.
• Single-use to minimize infection transmission between patients or providers.

Market Summary

Acute respiratory and cardiovascular compromise require rapid clinical intervention to increase the chance of survival for patients.  Management of patients in acute respiratory distress or in cardiopulmonary arrest involves rapid intubation to control the patient’s airway and/or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), both of which expose healthcare providers to significant contamination of aerosolized infectious contents from the patient’s lungs. The resuscitation involves close contact with the patient to perform CPR including chest compressions, airway support, and other life saving measures depending on the circumstances.  Such patients may have infections (such as COVID-19) either incidental to their current acute medical condition or as a result of such an infection. The infectious status of these patients is unknown.  The use of airway devices such as a bag valve mask (BVM) or a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) result in aerosolization of airway fluids posing a significant transmission risk to ED/EMS staff during resuscitation.  Additionally, routine airway management in the operating room or the Intensive Care Unit during the intubation and extubation processes poses similar risk.  There is a critical need for versatile solutions to protect providers and staff members during patient resuscitation and airway management. 

Technical Summary

Researchers at Emory University propose a collapsible, single-use ‘pop-up tent’ infection control system for resuscitation and airway management. This system provides a pliable, translucent barrier between the patient and medical staff, while allows visibility and access to the patient for airway procedures. The structure is designed from materials that provide pliability to the system, offering range of motion for the providers and the ability to change the relationship between the patient, the ‘tent’ and the provider.  A suction port would contain a viral filter to be utilized during intubation and later evacuation of aerosolized particles. Four integrated arm sleeves (2 for the primary provider at the ‘head’ of the device, and one on each side for assistants) allow access to the patient’s head, airway and neck without removing the protective barrier.  The assistant arm access points would be large diameter to optimize the ability to assist the primary provider during airway management.  Options include incorporating extension tubing for a ventilator circuit and/or suction into the design to permit attachment to a ventilator and/or suction externally. This system provides a safe and effective method for resuscitation and airway management while creating a protective barrier between the patient and staff against infectious diseases.

Developmental Stage

The device is in the prototyping stage.

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