Covid Scotland: CPR hood developed in response to Covid makes for quicker and safer CPR

A hood developed to help prevent transmission of Covid during CPR has been accepted into use across NHS Tayside after being shown to make resuscitation quicker and safer for patients.

The Safer Airway Resuscitation (SARUS) CPR hood fits over the head of a patient, creating a barrier between them and the person giving CPR and reducing the risk of virus transmission.

The hood, made of transparent fabric, also reduces the time needed to begin CPR.

After testing, the device will now be used in NHS Tayside, and is expected to be further rolled out later this year.

Hood inventor Professor Peter Stonebridge with Sam Fernando, sales director at Keela at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. Picture: Martin Shields

It was invented by Tayside Medical Director Professor Peter Stonebridge, and further developed by ear, nose and throat surgeon Rod Mountain.

Scottish Health Innovations Ltd (SHIL), and performance manufacturer Keela Outdoors collaborated to design and develop the device.

Prof Stonebridge said his idea was one of many instances of “problem-solving” during the pandemic.

He said: “The entire spectrum of healthcare workers and caregivers has been absolutely vital to fighting the pandemic and in analysing potential solutions to the challenges of Covid-19 – there has been a lot of innovative problem-solving.

“In this instance, thanks to the input of other experts, the kernel of an idea has been developed into the fully realised SARUS-CPR hood. I am very grateful to all the collaborators on this project whose ideas and ingenuity helped us get to this landmark moment as we adopt the SARUS-CPR hood into clinical practice here at NHS Tayside.”

Rod Mountain, NHS Tayside clinical lead for the project, said he is “immensely proud” to have been part of the development.

"This has been a genuine collaborative effort between NHS Tayside,SHIL, and Keela, drawing upon fantastic local engineering and garment manufacturing expertise,” he said.

"Covid-19 drove the innovation, prompting us to look at different approaches to PPE, but we now know its applications go well beyond the current pandemic.”

Robert Rea, Head of Innovation at SHIL, said: “The teams at NHS Tayside and Keela have played a vital role in realising this ambition.

"Their clinical and manufacturing expertise combined with SHIL’s intellectual property and commercialisation expertise has accelerated the hood’s adoption.”

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