Articles: personal-protective-equipment.
-
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jun 2020
ReviewA Commentary on Safety Precautions for Otologic Surgery during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
There are insufficient data regarding the safety of otologic procedures in the setting of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Given the proclivity for respiratory pathogens to involve the middle ear and the significant aerosolization associated with many otologic procedures, safety precautions should follow current recommendations for procedures involving the upper airway. ⋯ Necessary otologic procedures on positive, suspected, or unknown COVID-19 status patients should be performed using enhanced personal protective equipment, including an N95 respirator and eye protection or powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR, preferred), disposable cap, disposable gown, and gloves. Powered instrumentation should be avoided unless absolutely necessary, and if performed, PAPR or sealed eye protection is recommended.
-
Practice Guideline
SAGES and EAES recommendations for minimally invasive surgery during COVID-19 pandemic.
The unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19 has impacted many lives and affects the whole healthcare systems globally. In addition to the considerable workload challenges, surgeons are faced with a number of uncertainties regarding their own safety, practice, and overall patient care. This guide has been drafted at short notice to advise on specific issues related to surgical service provision and the safety of minimally invasive surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Nevertheless, erring on the side of safety would warrant treating the coronavirus as exhibiting similar aerosolization properties and all members of the OR staff should use personal protective equipment (PPE) in all surgical procedures during the pandemic regardless of known or suspected COVID status. Pneumoperitoneum should be safely evacuated via a filtration system before closure, trocar removal, specimen extraction, or conversion to open. All emergent endoscopic procedures performed during the pandemic should be considered as high risk and PPE must be used by all endoscopy staff.
-
Case Reports
Management of the difficult airway in the COVID-19 pandemic: Illustrative complex head and neck cancer scenario.
This case highlights challenges in the assessment and management of the "difficult airway" patient in the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic era. ⋯ This case highlights the importance of careful and collaborative decision making for the management of head and neck cancer and other "difficult airway" patients during the COVID-19 epidemic.
-
Case Reports
Lessons from China when Performing Neurosurgical Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a substantial threat to the health of health care personnel on the front line of caring for patients with COVID-19. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have announced that all nonessential planned surgeries and procedures should be postponed until further notice and only urgent procedures should proceed. Neurologic surgeries and procedures should not be delayed under the circumstance in which it is essential at saving a life or preserving functioning of the central nervous system. ⋯ Following the proposed guidance, urgent neurosurgical surgeries and procedures can be safely performed for the benefit of critical patients with or suspected for COVID-19.
-
J. Cardiovasc. Electrophysiol. · Jun 2020
ReviewPerformance of electrophysiology procedures at an academic medical center amidst the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic occurred at the start of 2020 and is already responsible for more than 74 000 deaths worldwide, just over 100 years after the influenza pandemic of 1918. At the center of the crisis is the highly infectious and deadly SARS-CoV-2, which has altered everything from individual daily lives to the global economy and our collective consciousness. ⋯ In this proposal, we detail the specific protocol changes that our EP department has adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic, including performance of only urgent/emergent procedures, after hours/7-day per week laboratory operation, single attending-only cases to preserve PPE, appropriate use of PPE, telemedicine and video chat follow-up appointments, and daily conferences to collectively manage the clinical and ethical dilemmas to come. We discuss also discuss how we perform EP procedures on presumed COVID positive and COVID tested positive patients to highlight issues that others in the EP community may soon face in their own institution as the virus continues to spread nationally and internationally.