TY - JOUR
T1 - A Protocol for Safe Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery in the COVID-19 Pandemic
AU - Wong, Stacy
AU - Payton, Jesse I.
AU - Lombana, Nicholas F.
AU - Hanasono, Matthew M.
AU - Lee, Gordon K.
AU - Saint-Cyr, Michel
AU - Altman, Andrew M.
AU - Brooke, Sebastian M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/11/1
Y1 - 2020/11/1
N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant implications for citizens globally and for the healthcare system, including plastic surgeons. Operations of the upper aerodigestive tract, including head and neck reconstruction and craniomaxillofacial procedures, are of particularly high risk because they may aerosolize the virus and lead to severe surgeon and surgical team illness. Until the virus is eradicated or widespread vaccination occurs, we recommend certain precautions to safely perform these operations. We propose evolving algorithms for head and neck reconstruction and facial trauma surgeries to maintain provider safety. Central to these guidelines are preoperative COVID-19 testing, appropriate personal protective equipment, and operative techniques/principles that minimize operative time and aerosolization of the virus. We aim to provide efficient care to our patients throughout this pandemic, while maintaining the safety of plastic surgeons and other healthcare providers.
AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant implications for citizens globally and for the healthcare system, including plastic surgeons. Operations of the upper aerodigestive tract, including head and neck reconstruction and craniomaxillofacial procedures, are of particularly high risk because they may aerosolize the virus and lead to severe surgeon and surgical team illness. Until the virus is eradicated or widespread vaccination occurs, we recommend certain precautions to safely perform these operations. We propose evolving algorithms for head and neck reconstruction and facial trauma surgeries to maintain provider safety. Central to these guidelines are preoperative COVID-19 testing, appropriate personal protective equipment, and operative techniques/principles that minimize operative time and aerosolization of the virus. We aim to provide efficient care to our patients throughout this pandemic, while maintaining the safety of plastic surgeons and other healthcare providers.
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U2 - 10.1097/GOX.0000000000003258
DO - 10.1097/GOX.0000000000003258
M3 - Article
C2 - 33299720
AN - SCOPUS:85097904901
SN - 2169-7574
VL - 8
SP - E3258
JO - Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open
JF - Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open
IS - 11
ER -