Bon Secours St. Francis first health system in SC to get ventilation hoods for COVID-19 patients

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – The most severe COVID-19 cases have often seen patients on uncomfortable, invasive ventilators as the virus wreaks havoc on the respiratory system. However, an Upstate health system is the first in South Carolina to get a new tool to help treat patients.

Bon Secours St. Francis announced Thursday they were the first in South Carolina to get the StarMed CaStar R Hood, a non-invasive mechanical ventilation hood to be used on coronavirus patients as a comfortable alternative to traditional ventilators. In a Facebook post, the system says patients who experience respiratory distress will feel more comfortable since it fits over the head.

That means the hood will create an enclosed bubble for positive pressure to push to the lungs, improving blood oxygen levels and blood transfer.

The system showed photos of the hood in action, showing a stark contrast to traditional ventilators that require tubing to go down a patient’s throat.