A new device designed by U-M scientists, including Taubman Emerging Scholar Scott VanEpps, MD, PhD, may be a breakthrough in preventing one of the most deadly hospital infections: ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).
Affecting one in 10 ventilated patients and responsible for the majority of deaths from health care associated infections, VAP adds about nine days to intensive care unit stays and costs more than $40,000 per case.
Now, an interdisciplinary group of researchers has developed a simple but powerful solution: a soft, antimicrobial mouthguard that absorbs secretions before harmful bacteria can reach the lungs.
“It’s a $40 device to solve a $40,000 problem,” said Dr. VanEpps, associate professor of emergency medicine, biomedical engineering, and macromolecular science and engineering at U-M, and co-founder of the start-up Prevada Medical.
“You can wear it comfortably, it requires no special training, and it could be used anywhere, from hospitals to ambulances to battlefield care.”
The device’s protective coating originated from research on hospital surfaces and wound care. The team is now preparing for final biocompatibility testing and first-in-human trials, pending additional grant support.
