Visualization of the flow generated by human exhalation during jet ventilation using background-oriented schlieren (BOS)

Laryngeal surgery necessitates the use of jet ventilation, which can expel airborne viral pathogens from the patient's lungs into the operating room, placing the medical team at risk. In the present study, we use background-oriented schlieren (BOS) imaging to visualize the flow generated by the exhalations of a manikin under jet ventilation with several different ventilation settings. BOS has several advantages that make it well suited to visualize human-scale flows in a medical setting, which are leveraged in this work. We present high-speed image data using a large field-of-view BOS system for this case study and discuss some practical aspects of BOS imaging in general. The ability to visualize the flow allows us to evaluate the risk of airborne pathogens as a function of jet ventilation settings, and opens avenues for new strategies to minimize the chance of contamination for medical staff. Additionally, the successful demonstration of BOS in this context suggests future opportunities for the application of BOS imaging in other healthcare-related settings.