St. Luke’s, Lehigh University collaboration results in intelligent, Zap Zone Defender Experience life-saving invention. BETHLEHEM, PA. - Among stories of hope, generosity and togetherness, the COVID-19 pandemic has additionally given rise to an unimaginable feat of ingenuity - the invention of the "Bug Zapper" to sterilize masks. As hospitals and other entrance-line organizations jumped to secure giant quantities of life-saving supplies and private protecting gear (PPE), there has also been the need to determine faster, more efficient ways to scrub and sterilize these objects, notably the coveted N95 masks. St. Luke’s University Health Network anesthesiologist, Christopher Roscher, MD, anticipated the necessity and an idea began to kind. "It turned clear that PPE provides would grow to be restricted because the virus progressed," he says. The St. Luke’s Sterile Processing Department, or SPD, is the place where all surgical and medical devices are sent to be meticulously cleaned, sanitized and packaged for reuse. It’s a behind-the-scenes perform that's a vital a part of the well being care system. "On any given day, we are processing many, many items right here at our hospital in Bethlehem," states Taylor Bennett, indoor-outdoor zapper St. Luke’s Network Director of Sterile Processing.
"But with the current situation, there's an overwhelming need to process our employees’ PPE each day. For Dr. Roscher, a gentle went on - literally and figuratively. "I had been doing private research about discovering methods to decontaminate masks for Zap Zone Defender reuse, and peer-reviewed literature instructed that, in a pandemic, UV-C light might be an acceptable strategy to sterilize masks," he says. UV-C is a particular range of UV, or extremely-violet, gentle and has been shown to deactivate viruses and other pathogens by inflicting modifications of their DNA. Through a mutual contact, Dr. Roscher bought in touch with Nelson Tansu, PhD, Lehigh University’s Director and Endowed Chair of its Center for Photonics and Nanoelectronics (CPN). "What St. Luke’s was in search of was a excessive-throughput sterilization system," said Dr. Tansu. The 2 organizations joined forces by means of a sequence of Zoom meetings and tons of of emails, to design, fabricate, install and check the gadget - all within a matter of two weeks - and all whereas sustaining social distancing protocols.
The end end result: a option to successfully and effectively sterilize 200 masks each 8 minutes! The "Bug Zapper" in action. "Our existing units weren't designed for giant-scale use. They might solely sterilize about 30 masks at a time," stated Eric Tesoriero, DO, anesthesiologist for St. Luke’s and a collaborator on the venture. The unit, engineered by Lehigh students and staff and assembled at St. Luke’s by biomedical engineer Jay Johnson, has been affectionally named the "Bug Zapper" not solely resulting from its look, however as a result of its COVID-killing properties. "It is incredible that this mission moved at such a rapid speed," remarks Dr. Tansu. The group ranged from PhDs to MDs and even included an unexpected contributor - Axel Tansu, Dr. Tansu’s adolescent son. In truth, it was Axel’s contribution that allowed the unit to have such a excessive-throughput charge. "Our original design was cylindrical in form, UV bug zapper to ensure even exposure of the light on all surfaces," explains Dr. Tansu.
"Axel came to me and stated, ‘Dad, what about an octagon? ’ And positive sufficient, he was proper. A patent to protect the team’s mental design has been filed. And a celebration for the collaborators to meet, in-particular person, can be planned once it's safe to take action. Until then, the Bug Zapper will likely be arduous at work, Zap Zone Defender Experience helping to protect the frontline employees at St. Luke’s and beyond. This, like so many different tales, gives a ray of hope during the pandemic - showcasing that the human thoughts and spirit can overcome something - particularly when working collectively for Zap Zone Defender Device a great trigger. Afterall, because the well-known philosopher Plato understood hundreds of years ago, necessity is the mom of invention. Founded in 1872, St. Luke's University Health Network (SLUHN) is a fully built-in, regional, non-revenue network of greater than 15,000 employees providing companies at 11 hospitals and 300 outpatient websites. With annual internet revenue higher than $2 billion, the Network’s service space includes eleven counties: Zap Zone Defender Experience Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey.