WVU School of Medicine faculty collaborated with the Statler College of Engineering to create intubation boxes–helping reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission through aerosolized particles, by containing them to the intubation box.

According to Pavithra Ellison, MD, associate professor of Pediatric Anesthesiology, those in the fields of anesthesiology, critical care medicine, emergency medicine, and respiratory therapy are at high risk for exposure to COVID-19.

When a patient coughs or when the clinician is close to the airway of the patient for processes such as intubation there is a very high risk of transmission of COVID-19 from the patient to the clinician through aerosolized particles.

“WVU has been ahead of the curve to help prevent transmission of COVID from patients to health care personnel,” Dr. Ellison said. “Commonsense decisions on taking precautions with appropriate PPE and hand washing create a safer working environment for us and all others in our work areas. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

The concept for the box grew out of a paper published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Ellison says that use of innovative technologies made an impact on the ability to keep COVID-19 numbers manageable within the state.

The intubation boxes were a collaborative effort with the Statler College, but also within J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital. Various departments worked together to identify and develop the items needed. In addition to Ellison, the efforts were led by the following faculty within the School of Medicine

• Matthew Ellison, MD, director of Cardiac Anesthesiology;
• Chris Goode, MD, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine;
• Owen Lander, MD, division chief for the Department of Emergency Medicine;
• Chuck Mullett, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics; and
• Gregory Schaefer, DO, associate professor of trauma and crictial care from the Department of Surgery.

Jacob Barkley, MD, medical director for emergency medicine with the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, is now collaborating with Statler College of Engineering to use the intubation box in their hospital as well.

Joshua Bintrim, an Engineering Scientist with the Statler College of Engineering, built the prototype. Using FaceTime to receive feedback from the doctors in real time, Bintrim was able to see how the box was used in simulations and improve upon the model before being finalizing the design.

“It speaks to me that we can accomplish so many things in such a short period of time when we have a truly collaborative effort,” Ellison said. “I’m fortunate to work with an incredible team of professionals who rise to the occasion. As an anesthesiologist, I am trained to stay calm in chaos and I like to rise up to the challenge. The positive part of this is how we all work together as a team to help protect patients and also all our healthcare personnel.”