Negative pressure rooms and COVID-19

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has rapidly developed into a global pandemic and public health emergency. The transmission and virulence of this new pathogen have raised concern for how best to protect healthcare professionals while effectively providing care to the infected patient requiring surgery. Although negative pressure rooms are ideal for aerosol-generating procedures, such as intubation and extubation, most operating theatres are generally maintained at a positive pressure when compared with the surrounding areas. This article compares negative and positive pressure rooms and the advantages of a negative pressure environment in optimising clinical care and minimising the exposure of patients and health care professionals to SARS-CoV-2.