The speed and scale of the global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in
unprecedented pressures on health services worldwide, requiring new methods of
service delivery during the health crisis. In the setting of severe resource
constraint and high risk of infection to patients and clinicians, there is an
urgent need to identify consensus statements on head and neck surgical oncology
practice.
An international consensus group published their recommendations for head
and neck surgical oncology practice in a setting of acute severe resource
constraint during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic created a significant risk of contagion for anesthetists, dentists,
head and neck surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons, ophthalmologists, and
otolaryngologists.
A review summarizing some of the more readily available clinical
protocols that can protect head and neck specialists caring for patients in an
environment of a COVID-19 mediated COVID-19 pandemic was published by Kowalskiet al. The authors recommend that for any
care or intervention in the upper aerodigestive tract region, irrespective of
the setting and a confirmed diagnosis (eg, rhinoscopy or flexible laryngoscopy
in the outpatient setting and tracheostomy or rigid endoscopy under
anesthesia), it is strongly It is recommended
that all health care personnel wear personal protective equipment such as N95,
gown, cap, eye protection, and gloves.
