A Novel Method For Protection of the Corona Virus Healthcare Worker

Isolation of the COVID-19 Patient and Capture of Exhaled Viral Aerosol

Nascent Surgical has expanded the usefulness of its highly effective aerosol capture device which is currently used to remove surgical plume. The alternative use is for protection of the healthcare worker that cares for the hospitalized, isolated COVID-19 patient. Protection is achieved by isolating the patient and their exhaled aerosol within an oxygen-mist “tent” and removing it using our proprietary miniSQUAIR® aerosol capture device, which is connected with 6 feet of tubing to an ULPA filter powered by a suction capable of generating 25-45 cfm of air flow.

This innovative use for our product once again shows management’s commitment to protecting the healthcare worker and the patients that they serve. We believe that our technology is uniquely qualified to play a beneficial role because of prior research that has shown its effectiveness.

miniSQUAIR® has Proven Effectiveness

  • Capable of a 98-99.5% aerosol capture efficiency.1
  • Capable of 100% capture of airborne transmitted bioaerosols.2
  • Can significantly (p< 0.05) reduce particulates around open surgical wounds.3
  • Can reduce the rate of post-operative infections.4

Capture and removal of the patient’s virus-laden expired aerosol within the “tent,”  in contrast to “isolating” the hospital staff  in cumbersome personal protective gear, provides the following advantages.

Advantages of Patient Isolation

  • Control of the patient’s expired aerosol to better protect the worker.
  • Prevent virus-loading of the hospital environment that requires expensive room-sized filtration systems to eliminate infectious aerosols.
  • Unburden the caregiver from having to wear confining protective clothing.
  • Low cost of individual patient isolation.

Diversion in production for this alternative use of the miniSQUAIR® could cause delay of product for use in the operating room. Management asks for your patience should this occur.

Protection of the Healthcare Worker Caring for
COVID-19 Patient by use of Patient Isolation

Protection of the Healthcare Worker
During Intubation of COVID-19 Patient

  1. University of Minnesota, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Particle Calibration Laboratory. Bernard Olson, Ph.D., Manager. Dtd. Nov. 21 and 30, 2013
  2. Schultz L., Can Efficient Smoke Evacuation Limit Aerosolization of Bacteria? AORN J. 2015; 102(4): 7-14
  3. Liu N, Filipp N, Wood KB. The Utility of Local Smoke Evacuation in Reducing Surgical Smoke Exposure in Spine Surgery; A Prospective Self-Controlled Study. Spine J. 2019: 1-8
  4. Kim S, Schultz L. Can Capture of Surgical Smoke Decrease Post-Operative Infection Rates (SSI)? A Preliminary Report. Poster Presentation. 18th Annual ISASS Conference: Apr 11-13, 2018 Toronto Canada