Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial
(1) Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages in the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) have become apparent. The idea of using commonly available full-face diving (FFD) masks as a temporary solution was quickly spread across social media. However, it was unknown whether an FFD...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/3/550 |
| _version_ | 1797416422489456640 |
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| author | Eleni Amelia Felinska Zi-Wei Chen Thomas Ewald Fuchs Benjamin Otto Hannes Götz Kenngott Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski Beat Peter Müller-Stich Felix Nickel |
| author_facet | Eleni Amelia Felinska Zi-Wei Chen Thomas Ewald Fuchs Benjamin Otto Hannes Götz Kenngott Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski Beat Peter Müller-Stich Felix Nickel |
| author_sort | Eleni Amelia Felinska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages in the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) have become apparent. The idea of using commonly available full-face diving (FFD) masks as a temporary solution was quickly spread across social media. However, it was unknown whether an FFD mask would considerably impair complex surgical tasks. Thus, we aimed to assess laparoscopic surgical performance while wearing an FFD mask as PPE. (2) Methods: In a randomized-controlled cross-over trial, 40 laparoscopically naive medical students performed laparoscopic procedures while wearing an FFD mask with ad hoc 3D-printed connections to heat and moisture exchange (HME) filters vs. wearing a common surgical face mask. The performance was evaluated using global and specific Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) checklists for suturing and cholecystectomy. (3) Results: For the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, both global OSATS scores and specific OSATS scores for the quality of procedure were similar (Group 1: 25 ± 4.3 and 45.7 ± 12.9, <i>p</i> = 0.485, vs. Group 2: 24.1 ± 3.7 and 43.3 ± 7.6, <i>p</i> = 0.485). For the laparoscopic suturing task, the FFD mask group needed similar times to the surgical mask group (3009 ± 1694 s vs. 2443 ± 949 s; <i>p</i> = 0.200). Some participants reported impaired verbal communication while wearing the FFD mask, as it muffled the sound of speech, as well as discomfort in breathing. (4) Conclusions: FFD masks do not affect the quality of laparoscopic surgical performance, despite being uncomfortable, and may therefore be used as a substitute for conventional PPE in times of shortage—i.e., the global COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:04:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2072836631e34821b8bc71c8e0b713b3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:04:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-2072836631e34821b8bc71c8e0b713b32023-12-03T12:06:16ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832021-02-0110355010.3390/jcm10030550Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over TrialEleni Amelia Felinska0Zi-Wei Chen1Thomas Ewald Fuchs2Benjamin Otto3Hannes Götz Kenngott4Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski5Beat Peter Müller-Stich6Felix Nickel7Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of Urology and Urological Surgery, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, GermanyDepartment of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany(1) Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages in the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) have become apparent. The idea of using commonly available full-face diving (FFD) masks as a temporary solution was quickly spread across social media. However, it was unknown whether an FFD mask would considerably impair complex surgical tasks. Thus, we aimed to assess laparoscopic surgical performance while wearing an FFD mask as PPE. (2) Methods: In a randomized-controlled cross-over trial, 40 laparoscopically naive medical students performed laparoscopic procedures while wearing an FFD mask with ad hoc 3D-printed connections to heat and moisture exchange (HME) filters vs. wearing a common surgical face mask. The performance was evaluated using global and specific Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) checklists for suturing and cholecystectomy. (3) Results: For the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, both global OSATS scores and specific OSATS scores for the quality of procedure were similar (Group 1: 25 ± 4.3 and 45.7 ± 12.9, <i>p</i> = 0.485, vs. Group 2: 24.1 ± 3.7 and 43.3 ± 7.6, <i>p</i> = 0.485). For the laparoscopic suturing task, the FFD mask group needed similar times to the surgical mask group (3009 ± 1694 s vs. 2443 ± 949 s; <i>p</i> = 0.200). Some participants reported impaired verbal communication while wearing the FFD mask, as it muffled the sound of speech, as well as discomfort in breathing. (4) Conclusions: FFD masks do not affect the quality of laparoscopic surgical performance, despite being uncomfortable, and may therefore be used as a substitute for conventional PPE in times of shortage—i.e., the global COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/3/550COVID-19sars-cov-2laparoscopysurgical performance3D printingskill assessment |
| spellingShingle | Eleni Amelia Felinska Zi-Wei Chen Thomas Ewald Fuchs Benjamin Otto Hannes Götz Kenngott Karl-Friedrich Kowalewski Beat Peter Müller-Stich Felix Nickel Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial Journal of Clinical Medicine COVID-19 sars-cov-2 laparoscopy surgical performance 3D printing skill assessment |
| title | Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial |
| title_full | Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial |
| title_fullStr | Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial |
| title_short | Surgical Performance Is Not Negatively Impacted by Wearing a Commercial Full-Face Mask with Ad Hoc 3D-Printed Filter Connection as a Substitute for Personal Protective Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial |
| title_sort | surgical performance is not negatively impacted by wearing a commercial full face mask with ad hoc 3d printed filter connection as a substitute for personal protective equipment during the covid 19 pandemic a randomized controlled cross over trial |
| topic | COVID-19 sars-cov-2 laparoscopy surgical performance 3D printing skill assessment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/3/550 |
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