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Lessons from China When Performing Neurosurgical Procedures During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Jun Wen1, Xiaoming Qi2, Kristopher A Lyon3
1Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Insights
Neurosurgical procedures for patients with COVID-19 require enhanced personal protective equipment and airborne precautions. Following these guidelines ensures safe and effective care for critical neurosurgical patients during the pandemic.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Infectious Disease Control
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic presents significant risks to healthcare personnel, necessitating careful surgical planning.
- Urgent neurosurgical interventions are critical for life preservation and central nervous system function, despite pandemic-related restrictions on non-essential procedures.
Observation:
- Neurosurgical teams require specific guidance for managing patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
- Lessons learned from neurosurgeons in China offer valuable insights into safe surgical practices.
Findings:
- Enhanced personal protective equipment and airborne precautions are essential for all staff involved in neurosurgical procedures for COVID-19 patients.
- Perioperative and intraoperative strategies must be adapted to address the unique challenges posed by the pandemic.
Implications:
- Implementing proposed safety measures allows for the safe execution of urgent neurosurgical procedures.
- This guidance supports the delivery of critical care to neurosurgical patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Objective:
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a substantial threat to the health of health care personnel on the front line of caring for patients with COVID-19. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have announced that all nonessential planned surgeries and procedures should be postponed until further notice and only urgent procedures should proceed. Neurologic surgeries and procedures should not be delayed under the circumstance in which it is essential at saving a life or preserving functioning of the central nervous system.
Methods:
With the intent to advise the neurosurgery team on how to adequately prepare and safely perform neurosurgical procedures on confirmed and suspected patients with COVID-19, we discuss considerations and recommendations based on the lessons and experience shared by neurosurgeons in China.
Results:
Perioperative and intraoperative strategies, considerations, as well as challenges arisen under the specific circumstance have been discussed. In addition, a case of a ruptured aneurysm in a suspected patient with COVID-19 is reported. It is advised that all health care personnel who immediately participate in neurosurgical surgeries and procedures for confirmed and suspected patients with COVID-19 should take airborne precautions and wear enhanced personal protective equipment.
Conclusions:
Following the proposed guidance, urgent neurosurgical surgeries and procedures can be safely performed for the benefit of critical patients with or suspected for COVID-19.
