To See if Colonoscopy is an Aerosol-generating Procedure and to Identify Ways to Minimise the Aerosol Generated Clinical Trial
Official title:
Colonoscopy is an Aerosol-generating Procedure and Water-immersion Technique May Decrease the Amount of Aerosol Generated
With a commercially available particle counter, we can differentiate the particle counts of
different sizes in different areas of the endoscopy room. An increase from baseline particles
of < 5um during or after the procedure would suggest that the procedure is an AGP.
In this study, the particle counter from Met One Instruments model GT-526S will be used. A
particle sizer is placed within 10cm of the anus, at the level of the endoscopists' face and
at the level of the endoscopy nurse assistant's face The change in the particles of different
sizes would be simultaneously recorded. The results of these three locations are compared to
baseline and compared with each other
Currently, the term droplet is often taken to refer to droplets >5 microns (μm) in diameter
that fall rapidly to the ground under gravity, and therefore are transmitted only over a
limited distance (e.g. ≤1 m). In contrast, the term droplet nuclei refers to droplets ≤5 μm
in diameter that can remain suspended in air for significant periods of time, allowing them
to be transmitted over distances >1 metre. With a commercially available particle counter, we
can differentiate the particle counts of different sizes in different areas of the endoscopy
room. An increase from baseline particles of < 5um during or after the procedure would
suggest that the procedure is an AGP.
In this study, the particle counter from Met One Instruments model GT-526S will be used. The
study will be conducted in the Prince of Wales Hospital endoscopy centre. A particle sizer is
placed within 10cm of the anus, at the level of the endoscopists' face and at the level of
the endoscopy nurse assistant's face The change in the particles of different sizes would be
simultaneously recorded. The results of these three locations are compared to baseline and
compared with each other.
;