Does a surgical helmet provide protection against aerosol transmitted disease?

Abstract

Background and purpose — The COVID-19 pandemic caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2 has led to a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Various alternatives to ordinary PPE have been suggested to reduce transmission, which is primarily through droplets and aerosols. For many years orthopedic surgeons have been using surgical helmets as personal protection against blood-borne pathogens during arthroplasty surgery. We have investigated the possibility of using the Stryker Flyte surgical helmet as a respiratory protective device against airborne- and droplet-transmitted disease, since the helmet shares many features with powered air-purifying respirators. Materials and methods — Using an aerosol particle generator, we determined the filtration capacity of the Stryker Flyte helmet by placing particle counters measuring the concentrations of 0.3, 0.5, and 5 µm particles inside and outside of the helmet. Results — We found that the helmet has insufficient capacity for filtrating aerosol particles, and, for 0.3 µm sized particles, we even recorded an accumulation of particles inside the helmet. Interpretation — We conclude that the Stryker Flyte surgical helmet should not be used as a respiratory protective device when there is a risk for exposure to aerosol containing SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, in accordance with the recommendation from the manufacturer

Personal protection equipment for orthopaedic and trauma surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: The results of an EFORT survey initiative

“…Orthopaedic surgery has been progressively reestablished at various rates depending on country-specific issues ( 3 , 4 ). Orthopaedic surgery involves several aerosol procedures with the use of high-speed saws, power drills, pulsed lavage, suction and the use of electrocautery ( 5 , 8 , 9 , 19 , 20 , 21 ). Initially, the possibility of shedding of blood and wound droplets was overcome with the extensive use of general PPE such as masks, protective eyewear, goggles and visors.…”

“…For orthopaedic and trauma surgeons, the control of disease transmission on the wards and in the operating theatre is of paramount importance since the majority of orthopaedic and trauma emergency and elective surgeries are aerosol-generating procedures ( 5 , 8 , 9 , 19 , 20 , 21 ).…”

A Comprehensive Overview of the COVID-19 Literature: Machine Learning–Based Bibliometric Analysis (Preprint)

“…Around 1.21% (350/28,904) of the publications focused on personal protective equipment in the COVID-19 era (eg, [97][98][99][100]). Authors who published the most in this cluster were Holly Seale (n=3), Keith K Wannomae (n=3), Lei Liao (n=3), Wang Xiao (n=3), and Steven Chu (n=3).…”

Improvising the surgical helmet system for aerosol-generating procedures in the OR: Surgeon designed 3D printed mould for augmented filtration system

“…2e4 However, their use during COVID 19 pandemic 5 is not recommended by the manufacturers and the orthopaedic community. 6,7 While Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation recommended that healthcare workers wear an N 95 mask with a face shield while performing AGP, 8 there are no clear guidelines in orthopaedics on how to augment the protection while performing AGP. Many orthopaedic surgeons tend to rely on the use of powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) to augment the standard personal protection attire.…”