| Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World
Health Organization on March 11, 2020, healthcare providers and medical staff all over the world have been increasingly
facing limited availability of personal protective equipment
(PPE). In the management of COVID-19 patients, the availability of PPE is crucial to protect the frontline medical staff1
.
Adherence to PPE is a crucial point regarding its efficacy.
Different studies showed that the adherence of healthcare
workers is not high enough due to several reasons. One of
them is a gap of knowledge about the disease and transmission
method, but numerous studies have suggested that education
alone does not improve PPE adherence2
. Thus, identifying an
effective education methodology is a crucial subsequent step
for improving PPE adherence. The other important factors
are time pressure, heavy workload, and unsureness about the
quality and the safety.
Personalized medicine could adapt the therapeutic strategies
through the appropriate response and highest safety context to
ensure providing the best care. Regarding prevention and PPE,
masks/respirators can be an interesting topic in COVID-19.
3D printing translates computer-designed virtual 3D models
into physical objects. 3D printing is used in the manufacturing industry, medical and pharmaceutical research, drug production, and clinical medicine and dentistry with implications
for precision and personalized medicine3
.
Among these, masks/respirators are of pronounced importance, since they should be appropriately worn as they fit around
the nose, mouth, chin, and face. Although ensuring proper
sealing seems to be difficult, it can be optimized by the personalized 3D printed masks/respirators, specially designed for
each healthcare worker. These masks/respirators can be made
of poly-lactic acid nanoparticles (PLA-NP), commonly used
in 3D printers, in a short time. Furthermore, 3D printing
plans for customizable masks/respirators can be shared publicly
through social media and be accessible for everyone. Designing
disposable face shields is another vital requirement that aims to
help increase PPE availability through the global emergency. |