General Surgery Operating Room Practice in Patients with COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Procedures

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic, declared in January 2020, presents challenges for surgical care.
• Asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infections complicate decision-making for urgent and elective surgeries.
• Uncertainty exists among patients, physicians, and health authorities regarding surgical protocols for COVID-19 patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide guidance on the management of patients requiring mandatory surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To outline best practices for surgeons operating on patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
• To clarify decision-making processes in surgical settings amidst the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Review of available data and guidelines concerning COVID-19 and surgical procedures.
• Initiative by the Turkish Surgical Association to synthesize expert recommendations.
• Focus on scenarios where surgical intervention is mandatory.

Main Results:

• The study aims to establish clear protocols for surgical interventions in COVID-19 patients.
• It seeks to address the protection of both patients and surgical teams.
• The findings will offer a framework for managing surgical emergencies and essential procedures.

Conclusions:

• Definitive guidelines are needed for surgical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Surgeons require clear protocols for operating on patients with COVID-19.
• This initiative provides a data-driven approach to surgical management in pandemic conditions.