Conversion of positive‐pressure cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories to a novel 2‐zone negative‐pressure system during COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

During coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, there continues to be a need to utilize cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories for emergent and urgent procedures. Per infection prevention guidelines and hospital codes, catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories are usually built as positive‐pressure ventilation rooms to minimize the infection risk. However, patients with highly transmissible airborne diseases such as COVID‐19 are best caredfor in negative ventilation rooms to minimize the risk of transmission. From a mechanical and engineering perspective, positive‐pressure ventilation rooms cannot be readily converted to negative‐pressure ventilation rooms. In this report, we describe a novel, quick, readily implantable, and resource‐friendly approach on how to secure air quality in catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories by converting a positive‐pressure ventilation room to a two‐zone negative ventilation system to minimize the risk of transmission.