Sunday, January 29, 2023
News on Pathogens and Preparedness
Global Biodefense
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
Global Biodefense
No Result
View All Result
Home Defense + Military

Isolation Chamber Invented by Army Doctors Protects Staff from Pathogens

Emergency FDA authorization requested

by Global Biodefense Staff
April 21, 2020
Isolation Chamber Invented by Army Doctors Protects Staff from Pathogens

Two ports are used in this version of the invention. The first port is connected to a positive-pressure air or oxygen source. A second port is connected to a vacuum line. The vacuum line may feed into an in-line HEPA filter or to the building's exhaust system. Credit: US Army illustration via TechLink

Army doctors working at hospitals within the Defense Health Agency have prototyped an isolation chamber that can be placed over the head and chest of patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

The Agency has asked the FDA for an emergency use authorization, paving the way for rapid implementation to help protect health care providers on the front lines of the pandemic.

The “COVID-19 Airway Management Isolation Chamber” is a barrier device constructed by draping clear plastic sheeting over a box-like frame made of common PVC piping.

The chamber captures and removes viral particles emitted from a patient’s nose and mouth using a flow of air or oxygen, which comes in through holes in the piping on one side, and is sucked out by a vacuum on the other. Vacuum lines are common features in hospitals, but even if one is not available, a vacuum pump and HEPA filter can be easily connected to the device.

The chamber was invented to supplement standard personal protective equipment used by doctors and nurses by creating a safer environment for performing airway management from examination to intubation. Intermediary airway management represents those options a healthcare provider might use prior to intubation. In making these intermediary options safer and more available, the use of the CAMIC may allow patients to avoid the need for intubation altogether.

Among the inventors, are Maj. Steven Hong, Cpt. Timothy Blood, and Cpt. Jonathan Perkins at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center; Maj. Douglas Ruhl, at Madigan Army Medical Center; Mr. Nathan Fisher at the Army’s Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center; Maj. Charles Riley at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital; and 2nd Lt. Joseph Krivda at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

“Clinicians at both hospitals spent many sleepless nights and weekends toying with designs and testing models,” Dr. Ruhl said. “The device can also contain infective particles during other airway treatments, like high-flow oxygen, a nebulizer, or a CPAP, and hopefully decrease the need for ventilators.”

A Navy student registered nurse anesthetist demonstrates the use of the CAMIC isolation chamber during an intubation procedure at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Credit: US Army photo via TechLink

The device was modeled and tested at Walter Reed and Madigan with computer modeling at TATRC. To measure the effectiveness of the invention, smoke was used as a proxy for airborne viral particles and a particle counter was used to measure distribution within and around the prototype. The study was submitted for publication in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In addition to the emergency FDA authorization, the Army has filed two provisional patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

“It was impressive to see several DOD departments understand the importance of this concept and make it a priority to help expedite reviews and approvals,” Dr. Ruhl said.

TechLink, the Department of Defense’s national partnership intermediary for technology transfer, is seeking U.S. companies and entrepreneurs to review and license the invention for manufacturing from the U.S. Army.

Quinton King, senior technology manager at TechLink, is facilitating the licensing process in direct support of the Army. An emergency use license will be offered to expedite the use of this technology against COVID-19.

“This invention allows intermediary airway management prior to intubation and hopefully avoiding intubation while keeping medical personnel safe,” King said. “Because this device can be produced relatively cheap and fast, we’re hoping this technology can be quickly delivered to those battling COVID-19 at medical facilities around the country and around the world. This technology could help save the lives of patients, and the doctors and nurses treating them.”

Tags: BiotechnologyCOVID-19Emergency ManagementIndividual ProtectionInnovationSARS-CoV-2WRAIR

Related Posts

Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions
Pathogens

Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions

January 25, 2023
DARPA Selects Teams to Develop Vaccine Durability Prediction Model
Medical Countermeasures

DARPA Selects Teams to Develop Vaccine Durability Prediction Model

January 13, 2023
two soldiers are in head-to-toe hazmat suits with respirator masks while tending to a mannikin on a stretcher
CBRNE

Protection from Biothreats: DOD to Modernize Medical Countermeasures Development

January 10, 2023
The device appears smaller than a playing card, transparent, with visible channels branching off.
Medical Countermeasures

How Organ-on-a-chip Models Could Grease the Drug Development Pipeline

January 10, 2023
Load More

Latest News

Partner Therapeutics’ Novel Approach to Stratify Sepsis Patients Gains Backing From BARDA

Biopreparedness Research Virtual Environment (BRaVE) Initiative Backed by $105M DOE Funding

January 25, 2023
Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions

Influenza Proteins Tilt and Wave in ‘Breath-like’ Motions

January 25, 2023
Biodefense Headlines – 24 January 2023

Biodefense Headlines – 24 January 2023

January 24, 2023
Biodefense Headlines – 17 January 2023

Biodefense Headlines – 17 January 2023

January 17, 2023

Subscribe

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC