“We were able to imitate the design of the T-piece adapter and print the plastic-resin piece with our 3D printers,” said Todd Goldstein, PhD, director of 3D Design and Innovation at Northwell Health. “If the need arises, we would be able to print 150 adaptors in 24-hours.”
In an effort to help other hospital systems across the nation, Northwell Health will share the new protocols to convert the BiPAP machine as well as share the T-adapter 3D print design online.
Drs. Cassiere, Goldstein, and Stanley John successfully tested the conversion of the BiPAP machine using the standard, non-3D printed adaptor for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. They have also tested the 3D printed T-adaptor and have ramped up production to adopt the 3D printed adaptor clinically in the coming days.
In addition to the T-piece adaptor, modifications to the BiPAP machine include the addition of two high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters at both ends of the oxygen hose to alleviate fears of spreading the virus. They are also recommending using a blind reservoir connected to the last HEPA filter in the circuit.
Last week, Northwell Health, with collaborators at the University of South Florida (USF) and Formlabs, a leading 3D printing company, announced they produced and tested a 3D printed nasal swab to address emergency shortages that hospitals and health care teams may face as testing for COVID-19 increases.
About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.
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