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Review
. 2021 Feb:31:S78-S83.
doi: 10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.05.012. Epub 2020 May 21.

[Limited Reuse and Extended Use of Filtering Facepiece Respirators]

[Article in Spanish]
María Consuelo Company Sancho  1 , Esther González-María  2 , Eva Abad-Corpa  3
Affiliations
Review

[Limited Reuse and Extended Use of Filtering Facepiece Respirators]

[Article in Spanish]
María Consuelo Company Sancho et al. Enferm Clin. 2021 Feb.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Aim: Personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators, is essential in a pandemic like COVID-19, which has required, on many occasions, the reuse of material due to its shortage. The aim of this review is to summarize available evidence on the reuse and extended use of filtering facepiece respirator.

Method: Scoping review. Search through natural language in PUBMED and Centers, Agencies and Organizations for Disease Control. Limited to articles published between 2010-2020 in English and Spanish.

Results: 83 articles were located, 14 were selected, plus 5 recommendations. The topics included in this study are classified in 7 sections: expiration, extended use and reuse of masks, handling techniques, sealing, physical-psychological effects and compliance, contamination and decontamination of respirators.

Conclusions: The reuse of masks is not recommended by official organizations or manufacturers, and is only accepted in extraordinary cases, such as pandemics. The studies are characterized by having small samples, using different models of respirators adjusting their recommendation to the model.

Objetivo: Los equipos de protección individual (EPI), y dentro de ellos las mascarillas, son fundamentales en una pandemia como la del COVID-19, que ha requerido, en muchas ocasiones, de reutilización de material debido a su escasez. El objetivo de esta revisión es sintetizar la evidencia disponible sobre la reutilización y uso extendido de las mascarillas de media y alta filtración.

Método: Revisión exploratoria. Búsqueda a través de lenguaje natural en PubMed y Centros, Agencias y Organizaciones para el Control de Enfermedades. Se limitó a artículos publicados entre 2010-2020 en inglés y en español.

Resultados: Se localizaron 83 artículos, seleccionándose 14, más cinco recomendaciones. Los temas abordados se clasifican en siete apartados: Caducidad, uso extendido y reutilización de mascarillas, técnica de manipulación, sellado, efectos físicos psicológicos y cumplimentación, contaminación y descontaminación de mascarillas.

Conclusiones: La reutilización de las mascarillas no está recomendada por los organismos oficiales ni los fabricantes, sólo se acepta en casos extraordinarios, como las pandemias. Los estudios se caracterizan por contar con muestras pequeñas, usan diferentes modelos de mascarillas ajustando su recomendación al modelo.

Keywords: Equipment reuse; FFP; Filtering facepiece respirator; N95; Pandemics.

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Figures

Figura 1
Figura 1
Flujograma de búsqueda y selección de estudios *14 artículos, cinco recomendaciones.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Banco de Preguntas Preevid. Eficacia de las mascarillas filtrantes N95 frente a las FFP2 Murciasalud [Consultado 25 Mar 2020] Disponible en http://www.murciasalud.es/preevid/23536 2020
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Release of Stockpiled N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators Beyond the Manufacturer-Designated Shelf Life: Considerations for the COVID-19 Response [Consultado 25 marzo 2020] Disponible en: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/release-stockpiled-N95.htm...
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators [Consultado 26 Mar 2020] Disponible en: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-strategy/index...
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended Guidance for Extended Use and Limited Reuse of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators in Healthcare Settings [Consultado 25 marzo 2020] Disponible en: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hcwcontrols/recommendedguidanceextuse.h...
    1. World Health Organization. Rational use of personal protective equipment for coronavirus disease (COVID-19): interim guidance [Consultado 27 marzo 2020] Disponible en: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331215/WHO-2019-nCov-IP...