COVID-19 INTUBATION BOX 2.0
The “Thalia Box 2.0” is intended for use by Healthcare Providers when caring for or performing medical procedures on patients who are known or suspected to have COVID-19 in healthcare settings to prevent HCP exposure to pathogenic biological airborne particulates by providing an extra layer of barrier protection in addition to PPE.
These Protective Barrier Enclosures have been authorized for use during the COVID-19 pandemic per this Emergency Use Authorization issued by the FDA issued on May 1, 2020 - https://www.fda.gov/media/137584/download
Intubating a COVID-19 patient is considered an extremely high-risk procedure for medical staff . This box is designed to reduce this risk by containing the aerosols generated by the patient during the intubation procedure.
The original aerosol box was created by Dr. Hsien Yung Lai in Taiwan. However, we felt we could make some significant design improvements so we redesigned it and retooled it for high-speed manufacturing in our California Factory. The result was the first Thalia Box. We produced and shipped out 375 of these original Thalia Boxes. Here is a quick overview...
WE RECEIVED POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK FROM OVER 80 DIFFERENT DOCTORS AND ANESTHESIOLOGISTS AND WE ARE NOW EXCITED TO LAUNCH THE THALIA BOX 2.0
HERE IS A VIDEO OF THE VARIOUS CHANGES AND UPGRADES WE HAVE MADE...
LAUNCHED APRIL 21, 2020
THE NEW THALIA INTUBATION BOX 2.0 INCLUDES NUMEROUS CHANGES AND UPGRADES INCLUDING:
-
Increased box height by 2 inches
- Decreased box width to 19 inches so that it fits perfect on OR beds as well as those used in the ED & ICU
- Decreased box length by 2.5 inches to bring patient's head closer to front of box
- Added 7/8" vacuum port on the right side
- 4 support brackets for additional support
- Added additional arm port on right side for use by an assistant if needed
- Now includes 400 yards of Glad Cling Wrap (2 rolls) for creating an improved seal
For a copy of our INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE please send an email to support@thaliabox.com
HOW IT WORKS
Medical staff wraps Glad Cling Wrap around the Thalia box sealing off hand holes and body cavity. Next, Thalia Box is placed over the patient's head and neck, forming an aerosol barrier between patient and care providers.
Medical staff pushes hands through the sealed arm holes and performs endotracheal intubation on the patient or other procedures. The angled viewing window reduces glare and allows staff to clearly see patient while performing procedure.
7/8" suction port on right side allows for easy evacuation of aerosols while a third arm access port is sealed and ready to be pierced if a 3 hand is needed from additional staff.
WHY IT IS NEEDED
Here is a short video from Boston Medical Center that shows what happens to medical staff when intubating a suspected COVID-19 patient with and without the use of an aerosol intubation box (not specifically the Thalia Box but this type of box.).
The video below uses a mannequin that simulates a cough and uses blue light to show the spray onto medical staff with and without the box.
SOURCE: BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER
SEALING / AEROSOL CONTAINMENT
Our boxes are designed to have better aerosol containment than other boxes. See this short demo using a humidifier to show how the box contains airborne water vapors and creates a great seal using the included Glad Cling Wrap. Each box comes with 400 yards of sealing film.
TESTIMONIAL / REVIEW
“No glare, simple, yet sturdy design. Brilliant! Most importantly protected my staff and I to fight another day." Charles Hoffman MD, MS.
“We used the new Thalia box on our first OR case just now. It worked incredibly well. Visibility was excellent. Room inside was spacious. Easy to evacuate the aerosolized secretions. We love it. Our entire OR crew thanks you very much! We will be using it for more cases later in the week."
Oscar Barrios, MD
WHERE OUR BOXES ARE USED
Click this map to see where we have sent boxes so far...
REQUEST A SPONSORED BOX
If you are a medical worker and would like to request a Thalia Box for your hospital, please complete this short form and we will do everything we can to raise the money or match you with a sponsor to get a Thalia Box sent to your hospital as soon as possible.
MAKE A DONATION OR SPONSOR A BOX
If you would like to make a donation so that we can meet the requests of frontline healthcare workers we have setup a gofundme page. Please donate if you can and share with your networks so that we can make the biggest impact possible.
BUY A BOX
THALIA INTUBATION BOX 2.0
SHIPS SAME DAY IF ORDERED BEFORE 4PM PST
The “Thalia Box 2.0” provides additional protection between medical staff and patient when performing endotracheal intubation in a patient with known or suspected COVID-19. Intubating a COVID-19 patient is considered an extremely high-risk procedure for medical staff in the ED, ICU or OR. This box is designed to reduce this risk by containing the aerosols generated by the patient during the intubation procedure. This is the new and improved version of the box launched on April 21, 2020.
SHIPS SAME DAY IF ORDERED BEFORE 4PM PST
The “Thalia Box 2.0” provides additional protection between medical staff and patient when performing endotracheal intubation in a patient with known or suspected COVID-19. Intubating a COVID-19 patient is considered an extremely high-risk procedure for medical staff in the ED, ICU or OR. This box is designed to reduce this risk by containing the aerosols generated by the patient during the intubation procedure. This is the new and improved version of the box launched on April 21, 2020.
BUY KN95 MASKS
KN95 Masks - 5 Pack | Not for Medical Use
These KN95 Respirators are made in China and were one of the original brands and company's recommended for medical use by the CDC/NIOSH in their Emergency Use Authorization on April 3, 2020. However, a month later on May 7th the CDC removed almost all of these Chinese manufacturers from their approved list and revised the EUA over concerns about counterfeits along with wavering quality standards and recommended testing. Meanwhile, millions of these "approved" masks had already been shipped to the USA or were already here and in use in hospitals across the country including inside COVID-19 wards at countless hospitals.
We had imported these masks under the EUA using the CDC's April 3, 2020 guidance. However, after the CDC changed their guidance we submitted 10 samples from our batch of masks to the CDC/NIOSH/National Personal Protective Technology Lab for particulate efficiency testing.
You can read the complete report here. But here is a quick synopsis. Not all of the samples we submitted met the N95 testing standard. Some passed and others did not. The range of the 10 samples extended from a low of 70.2% to a high of 98.4%, with an average in the mid 80s. The modified N95 NIOSH test was testing the efficiency of the mask in filtering out particles that are 0.3 microns in size. As an aside, these results would have passed the equivalent European Union Standard of FFP1 but were not good enough to pass the NIOSH modified N95 test.
What does this mean? It means that these masks are still far superior to surgical masks, cloth masks, and all other masks that are not N95s, but these fell short of meeting the rigorous N95 standard.
So what to do? If you are planning to use these for medical use in a hospital then you should not order these masks. These are no longer approved for medical use.
However, if you intend to use these for a non-medical use then these masks are still far superior to surgical masks, cloth masks, etc. and are perfect for use when going into grocery stores, using at work or anywhere in public. You also have real test results with these masks to evaluate. Any mask labeled N95 or KN95 is really questionable without proper batch test results per the CDC so buyer beware.
By giving you the actual batch test results of these masks, our intent is to give you complete transparency so you can make a decision.
Your Price:
These KN95 Respirators are made in China and were one of the original brands and company's recommended for medical use by the CDC/NIOSH in their Emergency Use Authorization on April 3, 2020. However, a month later on May 7th the CDC removed almost all of these Chinese manufacturers from their approved list and revised the EUA over concerns about counterfeits along with wavering quality standards and recommended testing. Meanwhile, millions of these "approved" masks had already been shipped to the USA or were already here and in use in hospitals across the country including inside COVID-19 wards at countless hospitals.
We had imported these masks under the EUA using the CDC's April 3, 2020 guidance. However, after the CDC changed their guidance we submitted 10 samples from our batch of masks to the CDC/NIOSH/National Personal Protective Technology Lab for particulate efficiency testing.
You can read the complete report here. But here is a quick synopsis. Not all of the samples we submitted met the N95 testing standard. Some passed and others did not. The range of the 10 samples extended from a low of 70.2% to a high of 98.4%, with an average in the mid 80s. The modified N95 NIOSH test was testing the efficiency of the mask in filtering out particles that are 0.3 microns in size. As an aside, these results would have passed the equivalent European Union Standard of FFP1 but were not good enough to pass the NIOSH modified N95 test.
What does this mean? It means that these masks are still far superior to surgical masks, cloth masks, and all other masks that are not N95s, but these fell short of meeting the rigorous N95 standard.
So what to do? If you are planning to use these for medical use in a hospital then you should not order these masks. These are no longer approved for medical use.
However, if you intend to use these for a non-medical use then these masks are still far superior to surgical masks, cloth masks, etc. and are perfect for use when going into grocery stores, using at work or anywhere in public. You also have real test results with these masks to evaluate. Any mask labeled N95 or KN95 is really questionable without proper batch test results per the CDC so buyer beware.
By giving you the actual batch test results of these masks, our intent is to give you complete transparency so you can make a decision.
WHO WE ARE
Thalia is a California-based manufacturing company that makes premium guitar accessories. We are family company that started with a Kickstarter in 2014 and have grown into one of the preeminent guitar accessories companies with major brand partnerships and global distribution.
Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, we built and shipped out between 5,000-7,000 packages each month, so we we have the capacity and logistical capabilities to hit the ground running in support of the COVID-19 pandemic. We proudly build all of our products in Pleasant Hill, California.
On April 12, we were forced to shutdown and layoff our production team as part of the "shelter in place" order. With this program we have transformed into an "essential business" so that we can bring our production staff back to work to create these boxes. Thank you for your support as we do our part to help this fight against COVID-19
WHY WE ARE DOING THIS
Several of our friends & family members are healthcare workers serving on the front lines in the fight against the Corona Virus. And my daughter Thalia (who the company is named after) plans to follow in their footsteps, going off to college in the fall as a pre-med major. We are disheartened by the grave reality that these brave women and men are risking their lives daily to provide necessary care. We cannot sit on the sidelines in this fight, especially when we can mobilize and make a meaningful difference that will save lives. With that, the Thalia box was born. Thank you for your support!
IN THE NEWS
KRON4 NEWS
With the help of the CHP’s Medical Director Thalia Brands developed a new design for an intubation box, which protects doctors and nurses from getting the virus while treating coronavirus patients.
FINANCIAL TIMES
From guitar accessories to medical gear, a start-up pivots to a new era.
Thalia is one of a number of US companies retooling to fill shortages of coronavirus equipment.
MUSIC TRADES
Thalia Capos is retooling to build a simple life-saving device to help medical teams caring for critical COVID-19 patients. In addition, they are leveraging relationships with suppliers to source N95 masks
BUILD YOUR OWN BOX
There are several other excellent open source projects underway to build aerosol or intubation boxes. We optimized the design of the Thalia Box so that we could manufacture a large quantity of them them in a very short period of time using our existing equipment.
Our design is not easy to make it you have a different setup, as it requires thermoformed bending, special jigs and specific laser bed sizes.
If you want to build your own box, please check these excellent resources:
https://sites.google.com/view/aerosolbox/design