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Aerosol Generation in Ear Canal and Air-Fluid Interface Suction
Mohammed Bahgat1, Leon Lindsey1, Paul Lindsey2
1Ear, Nose and Throat Department, Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland, UK.
OTO Open
|July 21, 2021
Summary
Simulated suction clearance procedures, including ear canal suction and air-fluid interface suction, did not generate significant aerosols. This finding is crucial for understanding aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Medicine
- Infectious Disease Control
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) pose a risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
- Accurate measurement of aerosols during clinical procedures is challenging due to background noise and sampling limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify aerosol generation from simulated suction clearance procedures.
- To assess the risk of aerosol-mediated virus transmission during suctioning.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study was conducted in a controlled clean chamber environment.
- A HEPA-filtered air system maintained constant pressure.
- An optical particle counter measured particles in the chamber exhaust during simulated ear canal and air-fluid interface suction.
Main Results:
- No clinically significant aerosol generation was detected during simulated suction procedures.
- Particle counts remained at background levels throughout the experiment.
Conclusions:
- Simulated suction clearance of the ear canal and air-fluid interfaces does not produce significant aerosols.
- Aerosols potentially generated at the suction tip are likely entrained by airflow.
- This study provides initial quantification of suction-generated aerosols in a controlled setting.
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