New protective device being used in Northwest Indiana

GARY, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — A new kind of personal protective equipment is being used by medical professionals after being brought to Methodist Hospitals by its medical director, Mohammad Zaman. The new device is a plexiglass intubation box which can be used to further protect patients as they’re being placed on a ventilator.

The intubation process is risky for medical professionals performing the procedure on confirmed coronavirus patients, but the new box has openings for the physician’s arms and hands to offer another layer of protection. Zaman says he read an article about the use of the box in Asia, he then found blueprints for the device on the internet and solicited sources to produce the boxes.

“We are happy to be able to provide these boxes to hospitals.  Physicians and other emergency room staff are excited and grateful to have this extra layer of protection. It really improves providers’ confidence and security in their ability to safely care for their patients,” said Zaman.

Zaman says twelve boxes were made and delivered to hospitals served by him and his colleagues at Vituity Inc. Methodist Hospital has two boxes at each campus, and boxes were also delivered to other northwest Indiana and Illinois hospitals.