Precautions to Be Taken by The Surgeons During COVID-19 Era

Author(s):  
Kanupreet Dhiman

The whole world is going through the unusual phase since the COVID -19 pandemic. Lives of many people upended due to this unpredictable infectious virus. It has spread in the whole world like fire in the woods. The Virus has disturbed the human life in all aspects especially the healthcare. Hospital visits specifically outpatient clinics and other surgical practices came to standstill. Healthcare workers were the ones who were in the high risk of infection due to the community spread. It was the serious issue as they are coming in contact of numerous patients in a day.

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayed F. Abdelwahab ◽  
Mohamed Hashem ◽  
Iman Galal ◽  
Maha Sobhy ◽  
Tamer S. Abdel-Ghaffar ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengding Chen ◽  
Xin Wei ◽  
Zhengguang Wang

Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a tremendous impact in China and abroad since its onset in December 2019 and poses a major threat to human health. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the forefront of the response to outbreaks. This study reviewed literature data and found that HCWs were at high risk of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially at the early stage of the epidemic, and many factors greatly affected their occupational safety. Although SARS-CoV-2 transmission was controlled in China, the Chinese experience can help protect HCWs from COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Tubiana ◽  
Charles Burdet ◽  
Nadhira Houhou ◽  
Michael Thy ◽  
Pauline Manchon ◽  
...  

Objective: We aimed to estimate the risk of infection in Healthcare workers (HCWs) following a high-risk exposure without personal protective equipment (PPE). Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort in HCWs who had a high-risk exposure to SARS-CoV-2-infected subject without PPE. Daily symptoms were self-reported for 30 days, nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR were performed at inclusion and at days 3, 5, 7 and 12, SARS-CoV-2 serology was assessed at inclusion and at day 30. Confirmed infection was defined by positive RT-PCR or seroconversion, and possible infection by one general and one specific symptom for two consecutive days. Results: Between February 5th and May 30th, 2020, 154 HCWs were enrolled within 14 days following one high-risk exposure to either a hospital patient (70/154; 46.1%) and/or a colleague (95/154; 62.5%). At day 30, 25.0% had a confirmed infection (37/148; 95%CI, 18.4%; 32.9%), and 43.9% (65/148; 95%CI, 35.9%; 52.3%) had a confirmed or possible infection. Factors independently associated with confirmed or possible SARS-CoV-2 infection were being a pharmacist or administrative assistant rather than being from medical staff (adjusted OR (aOR)=3.8, CI95%=1.3;11.2, p=0.01), and exposure to a SARS-CoV-2-infected patient rather than exposure to a SARS-CoV-2-infected colleague (aOR=2.6, CI95%=1.2;5.9, p=0.02). Among the 26 HCWs with a SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swab, 7 (26.9%) had no symptom at the time of the RT-PCR positivity. Conclusions: The proportion of HCWs with confirmed or possible SARS-CoV-2 infection was high. There were less occurrences of high-risk exposure with patients than with colleagues, but those were associated with an increased risk of infection.


Author(s):  
Nithya Venkataramani ◽  
Ravi Sachidananda ◽  
Nidhi R. Sachidananda

<p>COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed ENT practice. Most elective ENT (ear, nose, throat) surgeries possess a risk of infection, as well as potentially increasing complication.<sup>1</sup> With the current pandemic slowly evolving and ever-increasing demand for elective services to restart, service delivery with minimal risk to healthcare workers is a challenge. ENT procedures like adenotonsillectomy, microdebrider FESS and mastoidectomy and many more are aerosol generating procedures. Adenotonsillectomy is particularly challenging with high risk to the operating room personnel as the viral load is significantly high in the nasopharynx and oropharynx. Evidence from China shows us that the pandemic could last for at least six months<sup>2</sup> and modifications of techniques and adapting to the new norm is the key.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 1013-1017
Author(s):  
Nai-Chien Huan ◽  
Khai Lip Ng ◽  
Jeat Thong Tang ◽  
Han Nee Kua ◽  
Ummi Nadira Daut ◽  
...  

Abstract The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 has presented multiple challenges to global healthcare services, dictating changes in almost every aspect of daily medical practice. Performing aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) in the field of interventional pulmonology can lead to profound formation of aerosols, leading to a high risk of infection among healthcare workers (HCWs). We share our experiences on performing AGPs in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on changes in AGP practices. In a pandemic, HCWs ought to adapt to the ever-changing situation and use available resources to provide the best possible healthcare to patients, ensure safety of staff, and continue medical education of future pulmonologists. Keywords: Bronchoscopy, infectious diseases, pulmonary, respiratory medicine


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 ◽  
pp. 58-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neeraj Agarwal ◽  
Bijit Biswas ◽  
Rathish Nair

Objectives: The objective of this study was to design a contact tracing algorithm and contact investigation form for healthcare workers deployed in rendering essential health-care services in limitedly resourced healthcare settings during the COVID era. Material and Methods: It was an observational study, longitudinal in design. Based on the existing evidence as of April 15, 2020, we have designed a contact tracing algorithm and contact investigation form to determine the risk of infection among healthcare workers. Later, we have tested the developed contact tracing algorithm and contact investigation from among 28 suspected contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case admitted in all India Institute of Medical Sciences Patna, Bihar, India. Results: Using the designed contact investigation form, all the 28 suspected contacts of the confirmed COVID-19 case were interviewed, among which only 7(25%) were found to be having high-risk exposure. All persons with high-risk exposure were home quarantined for 5 days, along with their direct contacts. Eventually, all high-risk contacts were tested negative on the 5th day after exposure and immediately joined their duties after that. Those who were at low risk of infection continued to work and self-monitor for COVID compatible symptoms for 14 days. Eventually, none of the low-risk exposure persons developed COVID compatible symptoms, therefore deferred testing. Conclusion: The contact tracing approach designed in the current study is a balanced one where we tried to balance health workers safety without compromising their availability for duty. This approach can also be implemented in other healthcare settings in the era of COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Carla Benea ◽  
Laura Rendon ◽  
Jesse Papenburg ◽  
Charles Frenette ◽  
Ahmed Imacoudene ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: Evidence-based infection control strategies are needed for healthcare workers (HCWs) following high-risk exposure to severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this study, we evaluated the negative predictive value (NPV) of a home-based 7-day infection control strategy. Methods: HCWs advised by their infection control or occupational health officer to self-isolate due to a high-risk SARS-CoV-2 exposure were enrolled between May and October 2020. The strategy consisted of symptom-triggered nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing from day 0 to day 7 after exposure and standardized home-based nasopharyngeal swab and saliva testing on day 7. The NPV of this strategy was calculated for (1) clinical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis from day 8–14 after exposure, and for (2) asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 detected by standardized nasopharyngeal swab and saliva specimens collected at days 9, 10, and 14 after exposure. Interim results are reported in the context of a second wave threatening this essential workforce. Results: Among 30 HCWs enrolled, the mean age was 31 years (SD, ±9), and 24 (80%) were female. Moreover, 3 were diagnosed with COVID-19 by day 14 after exposure (secondary attack rate, 10.0%), and all cases were detected using the 7-day infection control strategy: the NPV for subsequent clinical COVID-19 or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 detection by day 14 was 100.0% (95% CI, 93.1%–100.0%). Conclusions: Among HCWs with high-risk exposure to SARS-CoV-2, a home-based 7-day infection control strategy may have a high NPV for subsequent COVID-19 and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 detection. Ongoing data collection and data sharing are needed to improve the precision of the estimated NPV, and here we report interim results to inform infection control strategies in light of a second wave threatening this essential workforce.


Author(s):  
Adrianna Bella ◽  
Mochamad Thoriq Akbar ◽  
Gita Kusnadi ◽  
Olivia Herlinda ◽  
Putri Aprilia Regita ◽  
...  

(1) Background: because of close contacts with COVID-19 patients, hospital workers are among the highest risk groups for infection. This study examined the socioeconomic and behavioral correlates of COVID-19 infection among hospital workers in Indonesia, the country hardest-hit by the disease in the Southeast Asia region. (2) Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study, which collected data from 1397 hospital staff from eight hospitals in the Greater Jakarta area during April–July 2020. The data was collected using an online self-administered questionnaire and Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests. We employed descriptive statistics and adjusted and unadjusted logistic regressions to analyze the data of hospital workers as well as the subgroups of healthcare and non-healthcare workers. (3) Results: from a total of 1397 hospital staff in the study, 22 (1.6%) were infected. In terms of correlates, being a healthcare worker (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 8.31, 95% CI 1.27–54.54) and having a household size of more than five (AOR = 4.09, 1.02–16.43) were significantly associated with a higher risk of infection. On the other hand, those with middle- and upper-expenditure levels were shown to have a lower risk of infection (AOR = 0.06, 0.01–0.66). Behavioral factors associated with COVID-19 infection among healthcare and non-healthcare workers included knowledge of standard personal protective equipment (PPE) (AOR = 0.08, 0.01–0.54) and application of the six-step handwashing technique (AOR = 0.32, 0.12–0.83). (4) Conclusion: among hospital staff, correlates of COVID-19 infection included being a healthcare worker, household size, expenditure level, knowledge and use of PPE, and application of appropriate hand washing techniques.


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