Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jul 2020
ReviewHigh-Risk Aerosol-Generating Procedures in COVID-19: Respiratory Protective Equipment Considerations.
The correct selection and utilization of respiratory personal protective equipment is of the utmost importance in the current COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially true for health care workers exposed to high-risk aerosol-generating procedures, including otolaryngologists, ophthalmologists, neurosurgeons, maxillofacial surgeons, and laparoscopic surgeons. ⋯ However, high-risk aerosol-generating procedures may create aerosolization of high viral loads that represent increased risk to health care workers. In these situations, enhanced respiratory protection with filters certified as 99, 100, or HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) may be appropriate.
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jul 2020
Multicenter StudyApproaching Otolaryngology Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Objective. To describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient presentations requiring otolaryngology consultation and provide recommendations for protective measures based on the experience of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) departments in 4 Chinese hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study Design. ⋯ COVID-19 patients require ENT consultation for many reasons, including tracheotomy. Otolaryngologists play an indispensable role in the treatment of COVID-19 patients but, due to their work, are at high risk of exposure. Appropriate protective strategies can prevent infection of otolaryngologists.
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jul 2020
ReviewInformation Overload: A Method to Share Updates among Frontline Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Since COVID-19 was classified as a pandemic, the stream of important information from multiple sources is constant and always changing. As the pandemic evolves, the need to report relevant information to frontline providers remains crucial. ⋯ It was initially embraced as an important resource for resident physicians and then quickly adopted by the entire department as a necessary reference and communication tool during the ongoing crisis. The quicksheet has been a beneficial tool to distill and organize the most important and relevant information for frontline staff, and we hope that it can serve as a template for departments and health care workers in other hospital systems to adopt.
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jul 2020
ReviewOtolaryngology Residency Application during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Pandemic.
The escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected health care at every level, including medical education. As some fourth-year medical students graduate early to join the front lines, we must now turn our attention to those trainees in their penultimate year. In this commentary, we address the unique dilemmas facing otolaryngology residency candidates for the 2020-2021 cycle, with a focus on those applicants with no institutional otolaryngology department.
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jul 2020
ReviewA Commentary on the Challenges of Telemedicine for Head and Neck Oncologic Patients during COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented and historic event that presents unique challenges to patient care to medical providers worldwide. The pandemic and the ensuing rapid changes to medical practice have particularly affected head and neck cancer surgeons and their patients. In an effort to balance the needs of our patients with the risks to patient and staff safety, we have been tasked with finding alternatives to the traditional office visit. In this commentary, we discuss how telemedicine can be incorporated into the head and neck surgery practice, the challenges that we have faced, and the dilemmas with which we have dealt in our efforts to fulfill the ongoing need for care of this unique patient population.