3D-printed N95 equivalent for personal protective equipment shortages: the Kansas City Mask

Abstract

Personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages represent a persistent and critical challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. Communities of 3D printing hobbyists and experts responded by designing and producing homemade, 3D-printed PPE. This report discusses the design, manufacturing and validation of the Kansas City Mask (KC Mask). Once printed and assembled, masks were fit tested at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, MO. The KC Mask was approved for use by pandemic response administration staff at the hospital. Fortunately, due to adequate PPE supply at the time of this publication, wide utilization of the KC mask has not been required. The authors endorse the KC Mask as a stopgap measure, proven to be effective in situations of critical PPE shortage based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.