AISHILA KAR, AMITY UNIVERSITY KOLKATA
To fulfil the shortage of nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Radiology at the University of South Florida (USF) create NP swabs using a point-of-care 3D printer. At the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) results of the first trial of 3D-printed NP swabs are being presented. “USF Health has printed beyond 100,000 3D NP swabs, and hospitals around the world have already used 3D files to print millions of more swabs.” said Summer Decker, PhD, director of the Department of Radiology.
The 3D swab has accepted national and international recognition as an example of the ability of medical 3D printing and innovation to provide clinical solutions. The flocked NP swab, from the back of the nose, collects a test sample of nasal secretions and throat for lab experiments, is the current standard of care for identifying COVID-19. It made up of narrow plastic rod and a tip covered in a flocked polyester material.
To compare the activity of the 3D NP swab with the flocked swab, the USF Health team initiated a clinical trial at numerous hospitals and sites. At the three trial sites, 291 patients (ages between 14-94) who were hospitalized, were tested for COVID-19 using the flocked swab as well as a 3D swab. The 3D swab showed statistically identical results to the flocked swab in the trial.
Tampa General Hospital take on the 3D NP swab as the standard care and started printing more than 300 swabs per day for the hospital and its affiliated care centres. The hospital’s six printers continue to print about 9,000 swabs a week. This project shows a way that radiology departments around the world can directly impact hospitals and clinical care during a crisis like COVID-19.
Metaphase: In Response to the Critical Shortage, Researchers Create 3D-Printed Nasal Swab for COVID-19 Testing.
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By RADIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA NOVEMBER 23, 2020
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