UC San Diego

Objectives

To design and evaluate patient-worn personal protective equipment (PPE) that allows providers to perform endoscopy while protecting against droplet and airborne disease transmission.

Study design

Single subject study.

Methods

Mask efficacy was evaluated using a cough simulator that sprays dye visible under ultra-violet light. User-testing was performed on an airway trainer mannequin where each subject performed the endoscopy with and without the mask in random orders. Their time to completion and number of attempts before successful completion were recorded, and each subject was asked to fill out a NASA Task Load Index (TLX) form with respect to their experience.

Results

The mask has a filtration efficiency of 97.31% and eliminated any expelled particles with the cough simulator. Without the mask, a simulated cough is visualized as it progresses away from the cough origin. Subjects who performed trans-nasal endoscopy spent 27.8 ± 8.0 s to visualize the vocal cords for the no mask condition and 28.7 ± 13.6 s for the mask condition (mean ± SD, p > .05). There was no statistically significant difference found in the mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, effort, and frustration of endoscopy under the no mask and mask conditions (all p > .05).

Conclusion

The designed PPE provides an effective barrier for viral droplet and airborne transmission while allowing the ability to perform endoscopy with ease.

Level of evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 2021.