Recommendations for Workflow and Anaesthesia for COVID-19 Patients Presenting to the Operating Theatre
Guidance documents released by SASA around COVID-19. Issued 24 March 2020.
Patients who are known or suspected to have COVID-19 may require emergency or urgent surgical care, which must be performed under anaesthesia in the operating theatre. Intubation, extubation and some other theatre procedures are considered high risk for generation of aerosols, and thus airborne, droplet and contact precautions are required for theatre staff present during these periods. Where possible, regional or local anaesthesia should be used to reduce risks. Ideally, COVID and non-COVID patients should be cohorted to two different operating theatre areas, with independent staff cohorts to reduce risk of transmission.
These guidelines have been published by the South AfricanSociety of Anaesthesiologists. EMGuidance confirms that it is not the owner of the information provided, nor does it intend to present it as such.