A Rapidly Deployable Negative Pressure Enclosure For Aerosol-Generating Medical Procedures

Procedures such as intubation, bag-mask ventilation, and high-flow oxygen delivery produce aerosols containing viral particles, creating acute risks for healthcare workers treating severe cases of COVID-19. We propose that a negative pressure micro-enclosure placed over a patient during intubation could reduce the risk of virus transmission, enhancing protection from aerosols relative to simple plastic shields. Our design can be assembled at limited cost (~$300) and deployed rapidly during airway management, with simple resources found in many emergency departments. We expect to design, build and test this design at Vancouver General Hospital within 2 months.