Laparoscopic surgery and coronavirus disease: What do we know now?

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Procedures
• Public Health

Background:

• The transmissibility of COVID-19 during surgical procedures is not fully understood.
• While SARS-CoV transmission is primarily droplet and contact-based, aerosol generation during surgery poses a risk.
• Healthcare professionals require adequate protection against potential viral exposure in the operating room.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current research on COVID-19 transmissibility in surgical settings.
• To assess the risks to healthcare teams during surgeries involving infected patients.
• To inform protective measures for medical personnel.

Main Methods:

• Literature search conducted using PubMed and UpToDate databases.
• Search terms included "surgery" and "COVID-19" and relevant MeSH terms.
• Focused on recent research regarding surgical procedures and viral transmission.

Main Results:

• Limited consistent evidence exists on healthcare professional exposure during COVID-19 patient laparoscopy.
• Aerosol generation during certain surgical interventions (intubation, ventilation, scalpels) is a known risk.
• Parallels with other infectious diseases suggest a need for comprehensive protective measures.

Conclusions:

• Medical personnel should wear complete protective attire to guard against surgical aerosol exposure.
• Further studies are essential to evaluate the specific impact of surgeries on healthcare professionals.
• Consistent evidence on exposure risks during laparoscopic procedures for COVID-19 patients is lacking.