What We Do When a COVID-19 Patient Needs an Operation

link.springer.com March 28, 2020

We wish to share the protocol that we use in our hospital in preparing an operating room (OR) for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients coming for surgery.

An OR with a negative pressure environment located at a corner of the operating complex, and with a separate access, is designated for all confirmed (or suspected) COVID-19 cases.

The OR actually consists of five interconnected rooms, of which only the ante room and anesthesia induction rooms have negative atmospheric pressures.

The OR proper, preparation, and scrub rooms all have positive pressures.

Understanding the airflow within the OR is crucial to minimizing the risk of infection.

As healthcare workers are at increased risk of coronavirus infection, a comprehensive and robust infection control workflow has been put into place.