Belgian 3D Printing Company Develops Mask that could free-up Ventilators for Critical COVID-19 Patients

Hospitals around the world are experiencing a shortage of key medical equipment and supplies that can be used to help treat patients who have COVID-19. One critical piece of machinery that is desperately needed are ventilators. Materialise, a Belgian 3D printing company, has recognized the shortage and is responding to the crisis by developing a mask that can help coronavirus patients.

Materialise has developed a 3D-printed device that can transform standard equipment used in hospitals into a mask that would help patients with COVID-19 get the oxygen their lungs need. The masks will create high positive pressure in the patients’ lungs without having to use a traditional ventilator.

Bram Smits, external communication manager for Materialise said “The 3D-printed connector converts this standard equipment into a non-invasive PEEP mask that can be connected to [an] oxygen supply to facilitate breathing for coronavirus patients. This solution gives patients an extended period of time before mechanical ventilators are required for treatment, and helps transition them off ventilators earlier, freeing up these devices for patients in critical need. By using standard medical equipment, including a non-invasive ventilation (NIV) mask, a filter, and a PEEP valve, the solution is simple and familiar to use for medical professionals.”

Materialise knew that they needed to jump into action, realizing that they were in a unique position to help during the coronavirus crisis where not many other industries can.

“We looked at various routes, including printing parts for ventilators and printing protective mouth masks. We contacted clinicians to better understand what the medical need of the patients was. In these conversations, we understood that the need was to have a solution for patients that need more oxygen and positive pressure before they need to be intubated — and this in a way that the medical staff was protected as well, avoiding air contamination as much as [possible].”

Materialise took just a single week to prototype and test. Although the company has done their own testing, the mask must comply with regulations to ensure its safety for both patients and caregivers. The company is supporting clinical trials and they hope to be able to have it tested, registered and available by mid-April.

Story via Digital Trends