A simple method for making surgical masks from operating room sterilization wrap
More information below, but in the interest of usability, materials and methods are listed first.
Update 4/2/20: please also see my other post for detailed instructions and collaboration — including a dome shaped version
Materials
- Sewing machine & thread
However, the cutting takes time & could be done without a sewing machine. - Sterilization Wrap
Example (and what we are using, with info on the specs), from Halyard: - Glue gun and glue sticks
- Scissors, preferably nice/fabric ones
Instructions
1. Cut the sterilization wrap into 7.5 inch squares (~19cm… 20cm is fine).
Used the double layer, blue and white portion.
2. Cut a long strips (1in by 15in; 2.5cm by 40cm) of the wrap.
Used the single layer, blue portion.
Tip: this is time consuming. Consider having at least one person only cutting, or do the cutting while binging a show or having a Virtual Happy Hour.
3. Take the square, and sew a simple stitch across the layers you choose as the top and bottom of the mask.
Probably unnecessary, but helps the two layers stay together.
4. Fold 3 or 4 pleats into the mask, and hold by hand.
5. Sew a simple stitch across the pleats. This makes the sides of the mask.
6. Use glue gun to affix a strap to each corner.
Pictures of the Process
Lessons Learned
- This wrapper often has tape on it. Either don’t use this part, or use it for the straps. It frays the material a bit if you pull it off.
- When folding the pleats into the square by hand, think about leaving room for the 4 straps to be glued.
- The strips could probably be thinner, or less long. That is fine too. I went wide for easy of use and to avoid tears, and a bit on the long side so they are easier to tie.
FAQ
- Can I breathe through it? Yes.
- Is it splatter resistant? Yes, very much so. Don’t believe me? Good. Run it under some water, blue side forward, and check for yourself.
- Is it reusable? No. I think that is gross. But, lest you worry about waste, it is made of materials that otherwise would already be in the bin!
- Does it protect from COVID-19? See below. That isn’t really the point. Trauma, Pus, and Cancer seem not to have gotten the ‘shelter in place’ warnings. I think these are better than a bandana , scarf, or nothing. You don’t want blood or other liquids splashing onto your face and soaking through fabric.
- Is there a little thing to hold it on the nose? Yes — tape… Others have pointed out that bread bag ties and other means could be added, if so desired.
- Is there a video? There will be shortly.
- What about face masks? I’ve been making those too. Instructions to follow, but just run an 8.5x11” laminator sheet through on its own, grab some foam and straps and Velcro. Cut to size. These are cleanable and reusable. A picture is at the end.
- How fast can you make it? First run, by myself, made 12 in an hour. With a team working, and time, I think can easily achieve 30–40 masks an hour per person.
- How much does it cost? Certainly, I’m not selling it. We are in this together. This is open-access, Creative Commons, etc. I hope we never have to use these, but perhaps there is some power in knowing there is a backup plan.
- How do you know that whoever made it didn’t spread COVID-19 all over it? This is a reasonable concern, especially with folks able to be asymptomatic yet infectious. Based on early reports of no more than 72-hour surface survival, if there is sufficient lead time then (obviously asymptomatic) creators could put each day’s batch into bags and mark them. Then wait 3 days before use.
Why am I doing this?
With the COVID-19 pandemic and response, it is possible that hospitals and other healthcare centers will run out of personal protective equipment. Hopefully, this will not come to pass. But we all know what happens to the people in apocalypse (with or without zombie) stories when they wait for someone to come and save them… I am an orthopaedic oncologist — an orthopaedic surgeon who cares for patients with sarcoma, as well as other benign/malignant/metastatic conditions of the musculoskeletal system. I am also the on-call orthopaedic surgeon sometimes at the hospitals where I work. While elective surgery is understandably stopped for now, there are many things that should not wait for 6 weeks (or 6 months?) for an operation. When I heard that bandanas were being considered as an alternative to surgical masks, I knew this was a problem. I thought up some ideas, and had previously marveled at the waste of throwing away the sterilization wrappers we use to cover our instruments after they are cleaned and prepared for an operation. It is sturdy stuff! Instead of throwing it into the garbage, I’ll freely admit to taking some home to use as wrapping paper, and am pretty sure I’ve used it as a Halloween costume.
I made prototypes by affixing some of the sterilization wrapper onto part of a clean old shirt — I had bandanas on the brain. While they sewn on easily and seemed to work, and could work, it was a bit clunky. And you’d have to cut the wrapper off and then wash/reuse the fabric part to be scalable, and that is complicated. The next day, some amazing nurses at the Portland VA Medical Center heard I was working on the surgical mask supply issue, as they and surely countless others were doing. Instead of thinking that using the sterilization wrappers was crazy, they brainstormed and then we brainstormed, and for now have settled on this design. That night I made more, and then got some feedback. We were able to add pleats in order to improve fit, and make something in the end that looks rather like the real thing.
I’m sharing this because others have asked for instructions. Perhaps this isn’t needed. But if it could help, that would be great. And I’m sure there are other solutions. We aren’t in a one-solution-situation. Take it, leave it, amend it, comment with ideas. And let’s take the fight to this virus.
Kenny Gundle
I’m findable, such here, LinkedIn, Twitter, ResearchGate, etc.
