Important guidelines for surgery in COVID-19 pandemic;a review study

Abstract

Background: In the case of COVID-19 pandemic and the risks of transmitting the disease to other people in the hospital environment, and the need to performing some surgeries, implementing preventive measures in operating rooms should be seriously considered. The aim of this study was to investigate the important surgical instructions during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a systematic review study in which data were collected by searching PubMed, Scopus, and Scientific Information Database (SID) databases and Google Scholar search engine with the keywords Corona, COVID 19, operating room, and surgery. Inclusion criteria of articles included published in 2020 and 2021, original articles, English language, and having the keywords in the title or abstract. By applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, out of 100 articles and selected sites, 54 articles were selected, and after the second review by another researcher, 29 articles completely related to the subject were reviewed and analyzed. Findings: Some of the most important points during the COVID-19 pandemic in the operating room space is to reduce the number of elective surgeries, correct use of personal protective equipment by the surgical team in the operating room, use of a small port to prevent gas leakage and low insufflation pressure in laparoscopic surgery, use of disposable moisturizing filter in the operating room environment for better ventilation, use of disposable airway and video laryngoscope by anesthesiologist, and increasing the frequency of ventilation more than 25 times per hour between surgeries. Conclusion: It is necessary to install provided instructions in the operating room, and the operating room supervisors have close monitor over its proper implementation.