TY - JOUR T1 - Feasibility of three-dimensional facial imaging and printing for producing customised nasal masks for continuous positive airway pressure JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.00632-2020 VL - 7 IS - 1 SP - 00632-2020 AU - Kelvin Duong AU - Joel Glover AU - Alexander C. Perry AU - Deborah Olmstead AU - Mark Ungrin AU - Pina Colarusso AU - Joanna E. MacLean AU - Andrew R. Martin Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/7/1/00632-2020.abstract N2 - Rationale Delivery of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea in children and adults. Treatment adherence is a major challenge, as many patients find the CPAP mask uncomfortable. The study aim was to demonstrate the feasibility of delivered CPAP through customised nasal masks by assessing mask leak and comfort of customised masks compared to commercially available CPAP masks.Methods Six healthy adult volunteers participated in a crossover study including commercial masks in three different sizes (petite, small/medium and large) from the same supplier and a customised mask fabricated for each subject using three-dimensional facial scanning and modern additive manufacturing processes. Mask leak and comfort were assessed with varying CPAP levels and mask tightness. Leak was measured in real time using an inline low-resistance Pitot tube flow sensor, and each mask was ranked for comfort by the subjects.Results Mask leak rates varied directly with CPAP level and inversely with mask tightness. When ranked for comfort, three subjects favoured the customised mask, while three favoured a commercial mask. The petite mask yielded the highest mask leaks and was ranked least comfortable by all subjects. Relative mask leaks and comfort rankings for the other commercial and customised masks varied between individuals. Mask leak was comparable when comparing the customised masks with the highest ranked commercial masks.Conclusion Customised masks successfully delivered target CPAP settings in all six subjects, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach.This research details a methodology for fabrication of customised noninvasive ventilation masks based on 3D facial scans to use as an alternative to commercially available masks for the delivery of continuous positive airway pressure https://bit.ly/35WspAg ER -