Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 2, 2025

Establishing a Severe Corneal Inflammation Model in Rats Based on Corneal Epithelium Curettage Combined with Corneal Sutures
Published on: November 22, 2024
Endonasal surgery in the coronavirus era - Birmingham experience
P P Naik1, G Tsermoulas2, A Paluzzi2
1Department of ENT, University Hospital Birmingham, UK.
Insights
Urgent endonasal surgeries can be performed safely during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This study found no coronavirus-related complications in patients undergoing these procedures with proper precautions.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Surgical Oncology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raised concerns for performing endonasal surgeries due to high nasopharyngeal viral loads.
- This study details experiences with emergency and urgent endonasal operations during the pandemic's peak in the UK.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the outcomes of endonasal surgery conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic peak.
- To assess the incidence of nosocomial COVID-19 infection post-operatively.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study was performed.
- Included patients underwent urgent endoscopic nasal or anterior skull base surgery between March 23 and June 15, 2020.
- Data were collected from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust.
Main Results:
- Twenty-four patients (12 male, 12 female) underwent endonasal surgery.
- No patient experienced COVID-19-related morbidity during the study period.
Conclusions:
- Urgent endonasal surgery can be safely conducted.
- Appropriate peri-operative measures effectively mitigate the risk of nosocomial COVID-19 transmission.
Background:
The World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 a pandemic on 11th March 2020. There is concern regarding performing endonasal surgical procedures because of a high viral load in the nasopharynx. This paper describes our experience in conducting emergency and urgent endonasal operations during the peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the UK.
Objectives:
To show the outcome of endonasal surgery during the peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and to assess the post-operative rate of nosocomial coronavirus disease 2019 infection.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all patients who underwent high priority endoscopic nasal surgery or anterior skull base surgery between 23rd March and 15th June 2020 at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust.
Results:
Twenty-four patients underwent endonasal surgery during the study period, 12 were males and 12 were females. There was no coronavirus-related morbidity in any patient.
Conclusion:
This observational study found that it is possible to safely undertake urgent endonasal surgery; the nosocomial risk of coronavirus disease 2019 can be mitigated with appropriate peri-operative precautions.

