“Aerosol box” during intubation

Barrier Enclosure during Endotracheal Intubation

Robert Canelli, M.D.
Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA

Christopher W. Connor, M.D., Ph.D.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA

Mauricio Gonzalez, M.D.
Ala Nozari, M.D., Ph.D.
Rafael Ortega, M.D.
Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA

In the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers describe an “aerosol box” that could help protect clinicians without access to standard personal protective equipment during endotracheal intubation. The clear plastic cube covers the patient’s head and has two holes through which the clinician passes his or her hands to perform the procedure. During experiments with a simulated cough, only the inside of the box and the clinician’s gloves and gowned forearms were contaminated. Without the box, contamination was seen as far as 2 meters from the patient.

NEJM correspondence on “aerosol box” (with video)