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Widely used surgical masks are putting health care workers at serious risk

With medical supplies in high demand, federal authorities say health workers can wear surgical masks for protection while treating COVID-19 patients — but growing evidence suggests the practice is putting workers in jeopardy.

28 Apr 2020

Intensivists caution against the use of premature novel therapies for COVID-19

Intensivists caution against the use of premature novel therapies in lieu of traditional critical care principles in patients with COVID-19 in a recent correspondence letter in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.

27 Apr 2020

Early Heparin therapy improves hypoxia in COVID-19 patients

The systemic use of heparin for treating severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) showed significant improvements in oxygen exchange and overall clinical presentation of patients, as reported by a study from Brazil available on a preprint server medRxiv.

26 Apr 2020

OHSU researchers design low-cost ventilators using 3D printing technology

Responding to a looming global shortage of ventilators, a team from Oregon Health & Science University has come up a low-cost version that can be widely produced with 3D printing technology.

25 Apr 2020

Magnamed and Brazil's Health Ministry sign agreement on supply of mechanical ventilators

On April 8, 2020, São Paulo-based Magnamed signed an agreement with Brazil's Health Ministry for the supply of 6,500 mechanical ventilators by August of this year.

25 Apr 2020

Study: Artificial intelligence strategy can assess and categorize indeterminate pulmonary nodules

Computed tomography scans for people at risk for lung cancer lead to earlier diagnoses and improve survival rates, but they can also lead to overtreatment when suspicious nodules turn out to be benign.

24 Apr 2020

New guide released for screening and managing lung cancer during COVID-19

A new expert panel consensus statement published simultaneously today in the journals Radiology: Imaging Cancer, Chest and the Journal of the American College of Radiology provides guidance to clinicians managing lung cancer screening programs and patients with lung nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic.

24 Apr 2020

New report highlights blood clot dangers in patients with COVID-19

A special report published today in the journal Radiology outlines prevention, diagnosis and treatment of complications stemming from blood clots in patients with COVID-19. The journal also published two research letters and a case study on this topic.

23 Apr 2020

Minimizing COVID-19 infection through controlled exposure

A new study published in the preprint journal medRxiv in April 2020 explores the possibilities of launching smaller waves of voluntary social exposure in a controlled way, to avoid the occurrence of a single large and probably unmanageable second wave of infection.

23 Apr 2020

Researchers create a low-cost ventilatory system for COVID-19 patients

A research team in Leeds, UK, has come up with a way of creating a ventilatory system for COVID-19 patients that can be made rapidly on a 3D printer.

23 Apr 2020

U.S. may have to spend hundreds of billions treating COVID-19

A new study published in the journal Health Affairs in April 2020 quantifies the financial and resource burden which could be placed on the U.S. healthcare system at varying levels of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) community spread.

23 Apr 2020

Texas-based hospital develops an integrated approach to reduce ventilation time

Mechanical ventilation can provide lifesaving respiratory support for critically ill patients; however, prolonged ventilation time is associated with numerous complications, even after the patient leaves the hospital.

23 Apr 2020

Experts share contingency plans to address increased COVID-19 cases in urban areas

In "Mobilization and Preparation of a Large Urban Academic Center During the COVID-19 Pandemic,"- published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society - experts from Philadelphia's Temple University Hospital share their contingency plans for meeting an increased demand for hospitalization, as well as their protocols and training plans to minimize health care staff exposure to COVID-19 and ensure proper active and reserve staffing.

22 Apr 2020

ATS publishes first official clinical practice guidelines for sarcoidosis

New guidance is available for physicians who must go through a number of steps to provide a probable diagnosis of sarcoidosis - an inflammatory disease that affects the lungs, lymph glands, and other organs.

20 Apr 2020

Cost-effective plastic canopy system protects health workers at risk of airborne coronavirus infection

Researchers have designed a cost-effective, constant flow plastic canopy system that can help to protect healthcare workers who are at risk of airborne coronavirus infection while delivering non-invasive ventilation or oxygen via high flow nasal canula, according to a research letter published in the European Respiratory Journal.

20 Apr 2020

COVID-19 lung injury is not like high altitude pulmonary edema

A group of researchers with experience in treating high altitude pulmonary edema have written to correct the misconception in medical social media forums and elsewhere that the lung injury seen in COVID-19 is not like typical acute respiratory distress syndrome and is instead like HAPE.

20 Apr 2020

Penn Medicine launches convalescent plasma therapy trial for COVID-19 patients

Convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients -- an experimental approach of giving a transfusion of plasma collected from a donor who has recovered from COVID-19 to a patient with an active infection -- is the focus of a new two-part research initiative at Penn Medicine.

20 Apr 2020

Wavelength Pharmaceuticals expands supplies of key drug ingredients for critically ill COVID-19 patients

Wavelength Pharmaceuticals, a leading supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients, today reported that it has greatly expanded production of APIs for certain pharmaceutical products needed to manage respiratory critical care patients.

20 Apr 2020

How climate change is putting doctors in the hot seat

A 4-year-old girl was rushed to the emergency room three times in one week for asthma attacks.

20 Apr 2020

West Virginia University creates aerosol-blocking intubation boxes to prevent COVID-19 spread

Boxes, barriers, and shields of various types and designs are making their appearance the world around to protect vulnerable healthcare professionals and allied staff from picking up COVID-19 while undertaking their duties. One such new device is the intubation box from West Virginia University (WVU).

19 Apr 2020