In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the possibility of personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages was very real, an aerosol intubation box created by Dr. Hsien Yung Lai of Taiwan piqued Dr. Akhtar’s curiosity. It was something he thought could be useful at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) in Prince George.
It’s a Plexiglas box that can be placed over a patient’s head and shoulders to protect both patient and doctor during intubation. Unlike single-use PPE (such as masks and gloves), the intubation box can be sanitized and re-used many times. With help from the Spirit of the North, Dr. Akhtar was able to design his own intubation box, which was then built by a local vendor and evaluated by the intensive care unit (ICU) and other UHNBC departments. The creation of the box was also supported by the physician quality improvement (PQI) program at Northern Health.
To read more about Dr. Akhtar's project work, visit the Northern Health Stories website!