Managing the oral and maxillofacial surgical patient during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A review of guidelines

Abstract

Management of the oral and maxillofacial surgical patient during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is quite challenging. This paper assesses the impact of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) on oral and maxillofacial surgical practice and lays down various guidelines employed to counter the pandemic. Separate protocol and guidelines are formulated for examining the patients in the Outpatient Department (OPD), minor surgical procedures in the clinics, and for managing patients in the triage and operation theatres. Particular emphasis should be given to disinfection and infection control measures to minimize the risk of COVID-19. Infection control in the clinical, hospital, and operation theatre setup is the most essential factor in the prevention of spread of COVID-19 disease in the workplace. The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), barrier techniques, proper hand wash practices, surface disinfection, and proper sterilization of instruments help in infection control. Providing effective treatment to patients with conditions that cannot be deferred or controlled by pharmacological management and taking care to minimize the risk of COVID-19 to the hospital personnel is the primary concern in the present scenario.