BACKGROUND Governments are preparing for a potential influenza pandemic. Therefore they need data to assess the possible impact of interventions. Face-masks worn by the general population could be an accessible and affordable intervention, if effective when worn under routine circumstances. METHODOLOGY We assessed transmission reduction potential provided by personal respirators, surgical mas...

There are several types of contagiotn or surgical masks commonly used by physicians, nurses, and biological laboratory personnel to minimize the hazard of the trainsmission of airborne pathogenic microorganisms. As part of a study in which the respiratory protection afforded by various commercially available masks and respirators was evaluated, three represenitative types of contagion masks wer...

Various infectious agents are known to be transmitted naturally via respiratory aerosols produced by infected patients. Such aerosols may be produced during normal activities by breathing, talking, coughing and sneezing. The schlieren optical method, previously applied mostly in engineering and physics, can be effectively used here to visualize airflows around human subjects in such indoor situ...

The present study evaluated the efficacy of disposable surgical masks as a microbial barrier with 95% of Bacteria Filtration Efficacy (BFE) according to the wearing time (1, 2, 4 and 6 hours). The masks showed a decrease in efficacy after a 4-hour wearing time.

Retropharyngeal or parapharyngeal abscesses developing after intubation are rare. This can present as surgical emergency post extubation. We report a case of retropharyngeal abscess that probably occurred as a complication of laryngeal mask insertion.

OBJECTIVES This study was undertaken to evaluate whether the surgeons' oxygen saturation of hemoglobin was affected by the surgical mask or not during major operations. METHODS Repeated measures, longitudinal and prospective observational study was performed on 53 surgeons using a pulse oximeter pre and postoperatively. RESULTS Our study revealed a decrease in the oxygen saturation of arter...

711 March 2013 T image demonstrates a complex C1 fracture reduced via excessive occipital-C1 flexion via halo vest immobilization (fig. A). Note arrow indicating slit-like oropharyngeal space originating below the soft palate. Halo vest immobilization occurred 30 min before emergent surgery for treatment of open femur fractures after a 15-foot fall. Shortly thereafter, the patient became tachyp...

Guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation state that healthcare workers should wear N95 masks or higher-level protection during all contact with suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). In areas where N95 masks are not available, multiple layers of surgical masks have been tried to prevent transmission of SARS. The in vivo f...

BACKGROUND There are no existing data regarding risk factors for impossible mask ventilation and limited data regarding its incidence. The authors sought to determine the incidence, predictors, and outcomes associated with impossible mask ventilation. METHODS The authors performed an observational study over a 4-yr period. For each adult patient undergoing a general anesthetic, preoperative p...

To the Editor: The US Department of Labor recommends air-purifying respirators (e.g., N95, N99, or N100) as part of a comprehensive respiratory protection program for workers directly involved with avian influenza–infected birds or patients (1). N95 respirators have 2 advantages over simple cloth or surgical masks; they are >95% efficient at filtering 0.3-µm particles (smaller than the 5-µm siz...