Articles: personal-protective-equipment.
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J Craniomaxillofac Surg · May 2020
ReviewApproaches to the management of patients in oral and maxillofacial surgery during COVID-19 pandemic.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is correlated with a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Therefore, the aim of the review is to collect and discuss aspects of the management of patients in oral and maxillofacial surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to save resources and to avoid unnecessary exposure to infected patients, there is the need to schedule interventions depending on their priority. ⋯ In addition, the demands concerning personal protective equipment increase significantly. The major aim is to protect patients as well as the medical staff from unnecessary infection, and to keep the healthcare system running effectively. Therefore, every effort should be taken to make the necessary investments.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a surge of patients that exceeds available human and physical resources in many settings, triggering the implementation of crisis standards of care. High-quality respiratory protection is essential to reduce exposure among healthcare workers, yet dire shortages of personal protective equipment in the United States threaten the health and safety of this essential workforce. In the context of rapidly changing conditions and incomplete data, this article outlines 3 important strategies to improve healthcare workers' respiratory protection. ⋯ Several mechanisms exist to boost and protect the supply of N95 respirators, including rigorous decontamination protocols, invoking the Defense Production Act, expanded use of reusable elastomeric respirators, and repurposing industrial N95 respirators. Finally, homemade facial coverings do not protect healthcare workers and should be avoided. These strategies, coupled with longer-term strategies of investments in protective equipment research, infrastructure, and data systems, provide a framework to protect healthcare workers immediately and enhance preparedness efforts for future pandemics.
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All surgery performed in an epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, irrespective of the known or suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) status of the patient, should be regarded as high risk and protection of the surgical team at the bedside should be at the highest level. Robot assisted surgery (RAS) may help to reduce hospital stay for patients that urgently need complex-oncological-surgery, thus making room for COVID-19 patients. In comparison to open or conventional laparoscopic surgery, RAS potentially reduces not only contamination with body fluids and surgical gasses of the surgical area but also the number of directly exposed medical staff. A prerequisite is that general surgical precautions under COVID-19 circumstances must be taken, with the addition of prevention of gas leakage: • Use highest protection level III for bedside assistant, but level II for console surgeon. • Reduce the number of staff at the operation room. • Ensure safe and effective gas evacuation. • Reduce the intra-abdominal pressure to 8 mmHg or below. • Minimize electrocautery power and avoid use of ultrasonic sealing devices. • Surgeons should avoid contact outside theater (both in and out of the hospital).
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The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the nations and has created the institution of unprecedented measures globally toward its containment. Extraordinary measures may be needed for health-care preparedness, to reduce morbidity and mortality. Health-care workers who are at the frontlines in such pandemics are the most vulnerable. These issues are addressed in this article.
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the pathogen that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was first detected in Wuhan, China. Recent studies have updated the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 continuously. ⋯ Current infection prevention strategies are based on lessons learned from severe acute respiratory syndrome, expert judgments, and related regulations. This article summarizes biosafety prevention and control measures performed in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing activities and provides practical suggestions for laboratory staff to avoid laboratory-acquired infections in dealing with public health emergencies.