An innovative, reusable and sustainable face-seal device to improve protection efficacy of surgical masks against COVID-19

The outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2) pandemic has had a direct impact on the global health system, causing an alarming shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Recent studies have shown that a significant number of healthcare professionals have been contaminated by the COVID-19 at their workplace due to the lack of ap-propriate PPE. Consequently, the PEE requirements have changed, making the use of filtering face-piece respirators (FFR) N95 and NK95 (FFP2 or FFP3, respectively) mandatory in place of the surgical masks previously used by healthcare professionals. Applying individualized face-seal devices in surgical masks, such as a thermoplastic resin ring, may significantly avoid inhalation of unfiltered air. Besides reducing leakage around the mask, which could convert surgical masks into PPE dual masks due to the high percent-age of face-seal, it would allow a bidirectional protection for both healthcare professionals and patients, thus becoming a medical device. The polylactic acid (corn starch) thermoplastic resin ring is the device proposed here to be used in order to decrease leak-age of potentially contaminated air. The use of poly lactic acid is of particular interest due to the fact that is a material appropriate for sanitary use, reusable and biodegradable. Therefore, healthcare professionals and organizations can maintain clinical activity in a cost-efficient manner whilst improving clinical safety.El brote de la pandemia del síndrome respiratorio agudo severo coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) ha tenido un impacto directo en el sistema de salud mundial, provocando una alarmante escasez de Equipos de Protección Personal (EPP). Estudios recientes han demostrado que un número significativo de profesionales de la salud han sido contaminados por la COVID-19 en su lugar de trabajo debido a la falta de EPP apropiado. En consecuencia, los requisitos de PEE han cambiado, haciendo obligatorio el uso de respiradores con máscara filtrante (FFR) N95 o NK95 (FFP2 o FFP3, respectivamente) en lugar de las mascarillas quirúrgicas previamente utilizadas por los profesionales sanitarios. La aplicación de dispositivos de sellado facial individualizados en máscaras quirúrgicas, como un anillo de resina termoplástica, puede evitar significativamente la inhalación de aire sin filtrar, además de reducir las fugas alrededor de la máscara, lo que podría convertir las máscaras quirúrgicas en máscaras duales de EPP debido al alto porcentaje de sellado facial, lo que permitiría una protección bidireccional tanto para los profesionales sanitarios como para los pacientes, convirtiéndose así en un dispositivo médico. El anillo de resina termoplástica de ácido poliláctico (almidón de maíz) es el dispositivo propuesto aquí para ser utilizado, con el fin de disminuir la fuga de aire potencialmente contaminado. El uso de ácido poliláctico es de especial interés debido a que es un material apropiado para uso sanitario, reutilizable y biodegradable. Por tanto, los profesionales sanitarios y las organizaciones pueden mantener una actividad de forma rentable, al tiempo que mejora la seguridad clínica

An innovative, reusable, and sustainable face-seal device to improve protection efficacy of surgical masks against COVID-19

[eng] The outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2) pandemic has had a direct impact on the global health system, causing an alarming shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Recent studies have shown that a significant number of healthcare professionals have been contaminated by the COVID-19 at their workplace due to the lack of appropriate PPE. Consequently, the PEE requirements have changed, making the use of filtering face-piece respirators (FFR) N95 and NK95 (FFP2 or FFP3, respectively) mandatory in place of the surgical masks previously used by healthcare professionals. Applying individualized face-seal devices in surgical masks, such as a thermoplastic resin ring, may significantly avoid inhalation of unfiltered air. Besides reducing leakage around the mask, which could convert surgical masks into PPE dual masks due to the high percentage of face-seal, it would allow bidirectional protection for both healthcare professionals and patients, thus becoming a medical device. The polylactic acid (corn starch) thermoplastic resin ring is the device proposed here to be used in order to decrease leakage of potentially contaminated air. The use of polylactic acid is of particular interest due to the fact that is a material appropriate for sanitary use, reusable and biodegradable. Therefore, healthcare professionals and organizations can maintain clinical activity in a cost-efficient manner whilst improving clinical safet