Bioaerosols in orthopedic surgical procedures and implications for clinical practice in the times of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Orthopedic surgical procedures (OSPs) are known to generate bioaerosols, which could result in transmission of infectious diseases. Hence, this review was undertaken to analyse the available evidence on bioaerosols in OSPs, and their significance in COVID-19 transmission. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, medRxiv, bioRxiv and Lancet preprint databases for studies on bioaerosols in OSPs. Random-effects metanalysis was conducted to determine pooled estimates of key bioaerosol characteristics. Risk of bias was assessed by the RoB-SPEO tool; overall strength of evidence was assessed by the GRADE approach. RESULTS: 17 studies were included in the systematic review, and 6 in different sets of meta-analyses. The pooled estimate of particle density was 390.74 µg/m3, Total Particle Count, 6.08 × 106/m3, and Microbial Air Contamination, 8.08 CFU/m3. Small sized particles (

Comparison of droplet spread in standard and laminar flow operating theatres: SPRAY study group.

BACKGROUND: Reducing COVID-19 transmission relies on controlling droplet and aerosol spread. Fluorescein staining reveals microscopic droplets. AIM: To compare the droplet spread in non-laminar and laminar air flow operating theatres. METHODS: A 'cough-generator' was fixed to a theatre trolley at 45°. Fluorescein-stained 'secretions' were projected on to a series of calibrated targets. These were photographed under UV light and 'source detection' software measured droplet splatter size and distance. FINDINGS: The smallest droplet detected was ∼120 µm and the largest ∼24,000 µm. An average of 25,862 spots was detected in the non-laminar theatre, compared with 11,430 in the laminar theatre (56% reduction). The laminar air flow mainly affected the smaller droplets (<1000 µm). The surface area covered with droplets was: 6% at 50 cm, 1% at 2 m, and 0.5% at 3 m in the non-laminar air flow; and 3%, 0.5%, and 0.2% in the laminar air flow, respectively. CONCLUSION: Accurate mapping of droplet spread in clinical environments is possible using fluorescein staining and image analysis. The laminar air flow affected the smaller droplets but had limited effect on larger droplets in our 'aerosol-generating procedure' cough model. Our results indicate that the laminar air flow theatre requires similar post-surgery cleaning to the non-laminar, and staff should consider full personal protective equipment for medium- and high-risk patients.

COVID-19 in the Perioperative Setting: Applying a Hierarchy of Controls to Prevent Transmission.

The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 from a zoonotic virus to a novel human pathogen resulted in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. Health care delivery and infection prevention and control recommendations continue to evolve to protect the safety of health care personnel, patients, and visitors while researchers and policymakers learn more about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. The perioperative setting is unique in that it exposes clinicians and personnel to increased risks through the invasive nature of surgical care. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Hierarchy of Controls as a model, this article presents risk mitigation strategies for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in the perioperative environment. The goals are to identify and eliminate potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2 when surgery is necessary for patients who are suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 or who have an unknown infection status.