• Menu
  • Menu
  • News
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
Trending
UAE holidays 2020 Coronavirus US Elections 2020 15% off on CV services Travel
  • Latest News
  • UAE
    • Crime
    • Education
      • Young Editors
    • Environment
    • Government
    • Health
      • Better Health
      • Why Worry
    • Transport
    • Science
    • Weather
    • Reader Complaint
    • Ask the Law
    • Special Reports
  • Living In UAE
    • Visa+Immigration
    • Housing
    • Phone+Internet
    • Banking
    • Transport
    • Health
    • Education
    • Relocate
    • Ask Us
  • Gulf
  • Your Money
    • Saving and Investment
    • Budget Living
    • Taxation
    • Expert Columns
    • Community Tips
  • Business
    • Banking
    • Aviation
    • Property
    • Energy
    • Analysis
    • Tourism
    • Markets
    • Retail
    • Company Releases
  • World
    • Gulf
      • Bahrain
      • Kuwait
      • Oman
      • Qatar
      • Saudi
      • Yemen
    • Mena
    • Europe
      • Brexit
    • Africa
    • Americas
      • US Presidential Elections 2020
    • Asia
      • India
      • Pakistan
      • Philippines
    • Oceania
    • Offbeat
    • Court and Crime
    • Coronavirus
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Eds
    • Letters
    • Off the Cuff
    • Cartoons
    • From the Editors
  • Sport
    • UAE Sport
    • Horse Racing
      • Dubai World Cup
    • Cricket
      • IPL
        • Chennai
        • Delhi
        • Punjab
        • Kolkata
        • Mumbai
        • Rajasthan
        • Bangalore
        • Hyderabad
        • Schedule
        • Live Scores
        • Point Table
        • Top Scorers
      • ICC
    • Football
    • Motorsport
    • Tennis
      • Dubai Duty Free Tennis 2020
    • Golf
    • Rugby
  • Entertainment
    • Hollywood
    • Bollywood
    • Pakistani Cinema
    • Pinoy Celebs
    • South Indian
    • Arab Celebs
    • Music
    • TV
    • Books
    • Theatre
    • Arts+Culture
  • Going Out
    • Movie Reviews
    • Society
  • Photos
    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Readers' Photos
    • Lifestyle
    • Business
    • Sports
  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy & Baby
    • Learning & Play
    • Child Health
    • For Mums & Dads
    • Ask Us
  • Auto
    • News
    • Test Drives
    • Car Culture
    • Auto Care
  • Lifestyle
    • Health+Fitness
      • Beating Breast Cancer
    • Family
    • Community
      • India
      • Pakistan
      • #Pinoy
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Weekend Review
  • GN Reach
  • Jobs
  • Tech
    • Electronics
      • Gitex Shopper
    • Gaming
    • Trends
    • Fin-Tech
    • Media
  • How To
    • Employment
      • Jobs
    • Passports & Visas
    • Your Money
    • Legal
  • Videos
    • How-To
    • Best Of Bollywood
    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Business
    • Sport
    • #Pinoy
    • Community
    • Travel
    • Technology
  • GN Focus
  • Food
    • Recipes
  • Travel
    • Destinations
    • Hotels
  • Gold-Forex
  • Notifications
  • Gold/Forex
  • Prayer Times
  • Cinema Listing
  • About Gulf News
  • Contact us
  • Work with us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Gulf News store
  • Advertise with us
  • Reach by GN
  • GN Focus
  • Gulf News epaper
  • Sitemap
  • Have your say
    • © Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2020. All rights reserved.
    Coronavirus: Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload

    Photos

    Login / Sign Up
    Wednesday, October 21, 2020
    Gold / Forex

    Photos News

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Readers' Photos
    • Lifestyle
    • Business
    • Sports
    All Sections

    Coronavirus: Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload

    COVID-19 has resulted in a shortage of medical equipment - it's time for novel methods

    Published:  March 29, 2020 07:22 AFP  and  Compiled by Karishma Nandkeolyar
    1 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    As hospitals face an overload of COVID-19 patients struggling to breathe, innovative medical staff are turning to snorkelling masks from sports stores to stop their lungs collapsing. The idea started in Italy, the European country worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with hospitals in other nations taking note and adding their own specific medical parts to make it work. Image Credit: AP
    2 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    One such is the Erasme Hospital on the outskirts of Belgium's capital Brussels. It is attached to the city's ULB university - and through it to a private spin-off, Endo Tools Therapeutics, whose knowhow in 3D printing for medical use has proved invaluable. "They are to be used for patients with severe respiratory problems. The aim is to avoid having to intubate the trachea of the patient and put them on a respirator," said Frederic Bonnier, a respiratory physiotherapist at the hospital who also teaches at the university. Image Credit: AFP
    3 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    He spearheaded the design of a custom-made valve that fits to the top of full-face masks, where the snorkel is meant to go, allowing them to connect to standard BiPAP machines that feed pressurised air into masks. This helps prevent the collapse of alveoli, lung air sacs needed for the intake of oxygen into our bodies and the exhalation of carbon dioxide. Pneumonia brought on by COVID-19 inflames the lung membrane and fills those sacs with liquid. Image Credit: AP
    4 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    In the worst-case infections, patients have to be hooked up to respirators in intensive-care units. But respirators are in desperately short supply worldwide because of the sheer number of patients. The snorkelling mask solution could be a stop-gap measure for patients on the brink of intensive-care treatment but for whom no beds nor respirators are available. Hospital masks for the less-intensive BiPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure) machines are also lacking. Bonnier said that from Monday he will testing 50 of the masks on patients. Image Credit: AFP
    5 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    They are the same brand as those used by Italian doctors, donated by the French sportswear retailer Decathlon that has stores worldwide. The masks themselves are made in Italy. He explained they were far more comfortable than the hospital ones that fit over the nose and mouth, biting into the skin. But he cautioned they were not tested to medical standards, meaning they were one-use only, unable to be sterilised between patients. The Italian design for the 3D-printed valve also needed reworking. "It seemed fairly complicated to make, pretty heavy, not very comfortable. So we had the idea to go a little further by thinking on it and developing our own connection part," he said. The new plastic valve connectors have now been 3D-printed and are ready to be tested. Image Credit: AP
    6 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    Bonnier added that health workers in COVID-19 wards could also use the masks for protection against the virus. But he fears the public will start panic-buying them, thereby depriving hospitals of a potentially life-saving product. He also said that, even if the tests prove conclusive, there were still questions about how many such masks could be made available by sporting companies, under what conditions. Image Credit: AP
    7 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    Learning of the emergency use being made of its snorkelling masks, Decathlon expressed "interest" - but also prudence. "At the moment we don't have confirmation that these solutions really work," it said on its Twitter account. Image Credit: AP
    8 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    The snorkelling mask solution could be a stop-gap measure for patients on the brink of intensive-care treatment but for whom no beds nor respirators are available. Image Credit: AFP
    9 of 9
    Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload
    Hospital masks for the less-intensive BiPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure) machines are also lacking. Image Credit: AFP

    Trending

    • Photos: KXIP beat Mumbai Indians in Super Over

      Photos: KXIP beat Mumbai Indians in Super Over

    • Watch Kiara Advani in 'Burj Khalifa' song shot in Dubai

      Watch Kiara Advani in 'Burj Khalifa' song shot in Dubai

    • Beyonce to Rihanna: Stars speak on George Floyd

      Beyonce to Rihanna: Stars speak on George Floyd

    • In Pictures: Sharjah opens 'Shees park' in Khorfakkan

      In Pictures: Sharjah opens 'Shees park' in Khorfakkan

    Latest In

    • Messi breaks new record in Barca Champions League win

      1 hour ago

    • COVID-19: Cathay Pacific to cut 5,900 jobs, end Dragon

      1 hour ago

    • Nasa probe Osiris-Rex 'kisses' asteroid Bennu

      1 hour ago

    • Nigeria security forces 'kill' protesters over curfew

    • Mixed results for arthritis drug used to treat COVID-19

    Go back to top
    Network links:
    • Baby & Child
    • Friday
    • Inside Out
    • Watch Time
    • Wheels
    • getthat
    • GN Tech
    • Jobs
    • About Gulf News
    • Contact us
    • Work with us
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Gulf News store
    • Advertise with us
    • Reach by GN
    • GN Focus
    • Gulf News epaper
    • Sitemap
    • Have your say
    Find us on Social
    © Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2020. All rights reserved.
    This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve your experience and provide more personalized service to you. Both on your website and other media. To find out more about the cookies and data we use, please check out our Privacy Policy.
    Share on Facebook
    Share on Twitter
    Share on Whatsapp
    Share on Mail
    Share on LinkedIn
    Close
    Gulf News

    Get Breaking News Alerts From Gulf News

    We’ll send you latest news updates through the day. You can manage them any time by clicking on the notification icon.

    Subscribe No Thanks
    Continue reading Gulf News
    Dear Reader, please register to read gulfnews.com

    Dear Reader,

    This section is about Living in UAE and essential information you cannot live without.

    Register to read and get full access to gulfnews.com

    Create your account
    or login if you already have one
    First name is required.
    Last name is required.
    Please enter a valid email address.
    Password should have minimum 7 characters with at least one letter and number
    Passwords do not match

    By clicking below to sign up, you're agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

    Login your account
    New to Gulf News? Sign up now
    Please enter your email address.
    Please enter your password.

    Forgot password

    or