Texas A&M University, through its unique Engineering Medicine (EnMed) collaboration with Houston Methodist Hospital, is stepping up to help the health care system keep up with the demand for medical supplies brought on by the increasing number of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases.
A team led by Michael R. Moreno has already delivered 200 3D-printed diffusers for metered dose inhalers (MDI) to the Houston hospital and stands ready to produce more if needed.
“The spacer, or diffuser, that we created will allow the doctors to use metered dose inhalers to treat diagnosed and suspected COVID-19 patients who are not yet in need of ventilator therapy, without using nebulizers that may aerosolize the virus,” Moreno said. “And this is important because if this early stage intervention is effective, then it is possible that these patients may recover before reaching that critical point where ventilator therapy is required.”
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