Reusable respirators as personal protective equipment during ENT surgery

Abstract

Background Robust personal protective equipment is essential in preventing the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 to head and neck surgeons who are routinely involved in aerosol generating procedures.Objective This paper describes the collective experience, across 3 institutes, of using a reusable half-face respirator in 72 head and neck surgery cases.Method Cost analysis was performed to demonstrate the financial implications of using a reusable respirator compared to single-use filtering facepiece code 3 masks.Conclusion The reusable respirator is a cost-effective alternative to disposable filtering facepiece code 3 respirators. Supplying reusable respirators to individual staff members may increase the likelihood of them having appropriate personal protective equipment during their clinical duties.