COVID-19: Adapting to change, general surgery at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused major change across the world and in the National Health Service. In order to cope and help limit contagion, numerous institutions recognised the need to adjust clinical practice quickly yet safely. In this paper, we aim to describe the changes implemented in a general surgery department at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom. Across the surgical specialties, frameworks, protocols and guidelines have been established locally and nationally. The aerosol generating procedures involved in general surgery required us to alter our daily activities. Modifications to patient management were necessary to try and reduce viral spread. Staff wellbeing was heavily promoted in order to help maintain the frontline workforce. A holistic approach was required.

Infection Control and Prevention in Operation Theatre

Operation theatres are one of the busiest parts of the hospital with high flow of patients and staff. It is the place where patient is most vulnerable due to the invasiveness of procedures performed and they come in close contact with various surgical and anaesthetic equipment. It is of utmost importance to create safe and clean environment for each patient and staff. In this chapter we discuss the means of cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and other parts of infections prevention on operation theatre. Additionally, we will cover the management of new emerging infectious threats, COVID-19, and rare diseases such as prions. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Twelve tips for optimising learning for postgraduate doctors in the operating theatre.

Learning in the operating theatre forms a critical part of postgraduate medical education. Postgraduate doctors present a diverse cohort of learners with a wide range of learning needs that will vary by their level of experience and curriculum requirements. With evidence of both trainee dissatisfaction with the theatre learning experience and reduced time spent in the operating theatre, which has been exacerbated by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is vital that every visit to the operating theatre is used as a learning opportunity. We have devised 12 tips aimed at both learners and surgeons to optimise learning in the operating theatre, set out into four domains: educational context, preparation, learning in theatre, feedback and reflection. These tips have been created by a process of literature review and acknowledgment of established learning theory, with further discussion amongst surgical trainees, senior surgical faculty, surgical educators and medical education faculty.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the planning of operating theatres: Case of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery B4 of Hassan II University Hospital in Fez, Morocco

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cessation of all non-urgent surgical activity in Morocco. In order to reschedule the delayed interventions, a quantification of the decline in activity is necessary. The aim of this work was to evaluate compared to 2019 the reduction in trauma and orthopedic surgical activity during 2020. Methods: This is a retrospective analytical study performed in the orthopedic surgery department B4 of the Hassan II University Hospital of Fez, comparing the surgical activity of the department in 2020 with the reference year 2019. Including all patients operated in the department during these two years. The data collected were: dates of interventions, surgical indications, type of intervention, type of hospitalization and time of occupation of the operating room. The comparison was made by calculating the variation between the two years according to months, type of surgery and surgical categories. The data received were entered and processed in Excel 2013. Different proportions were compared using a Chi2 test. Results: We observed a decrease in the overall activity of the service of 46% between 2019 and 2020 (1022 and 551 interventions respectively). The oncology activity recognized the largest drop of 72%. Ambulatory and orthopedic activities decreased by 64% and 62%. Approximately 1109 hours of surgery will need to be rescheduled to make up for the canceled operating program. Conclusion: Surgical activity has clearly decreased after the decision to confine and postpone any non-urgent activity, in favor of the care of patients with Covid-19. To cope with this critical situation, a massive and balanced reprogramming is necessary, taking into consideration the new patients. © 2022 IEEE.

Evaluation of high flow local extraction for controlling aerosol plumes in operating theaters

SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted through contact with fomite, respiratory droplets, and aerosolized viruses. Recent evidence suggests that aerosol transmission represents a significant route of infection. In relation to healthcare workers (HCWs), much attention has been focused on personal protective equipment, yet this is the lowest level of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hierarchy of controls. Although engineering controls are prominent in the hierarchy, little attention has been given to developing effective interventions. This study aims to evaluate the performance of a simple extraction device in a clinical setting. This was accomplished by using a high flow local extraction (HFLE) that was connected to the existing ventilation system of the hospital on one end and to an intake nozzle near the patient's airway on the other end. Propylene glycol was aerosolized through a physiological test apparatus to simulate the breath of a patient. The field of interest was illuminated using a laser sheet in two planes from the model, namely, the sagittal plane and the transverse plane, and the movement of the simulated aerosol was recorded using a video camera to assess the dispersion of the aerosol qualitatively. In the meantime, the concentration of the aerosol particles was measured using a particle meter to evaluate the effectiveness of the extraction quantitatively. It was found that the HFLE device could effectively reduce the dispersion of the exhaled aerosols to undetectable levels when it was positioned within 250 mm from the mouth. This result has significance in the safety of HCWs involved in the management of patients with infectious diseases and may also have potential applications in other clinical areas with high airflow in the ventilation systems. © 2022 Author(s).

Necrotising fasciitis in the COVID-19 era: A consequence of caution - A case series.

Necrotising fasciitis (NF) is a severe soft tissue infection that is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. During the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, the population has been actively discouraged from presenting to emergency medical services unless absolutely necessary. While this was an important step in allowing for preservation of limited resources in a time of crisis, it may have resulted in immeasurable 'secondary victims' of the pandemic as patients with time-critical conditions delay hospital presentation. In this case series, we describe three patients that noted symptoms of soft tissue infection, but delayed seeking healthcare advice due to concerns regarding COVID-19 exposure. All three progressed to NF, requiring highly morbid wide surgical debridement and prolonged hospital admission, with a high risk of potential mortality. The findings of this series demonstrate the importance of consistently delivering appropriate and timely healthcare interventions to patients with non-COVID-19-related conditions. While efforts must be made to ensure preservation of valuable healthcare resources in a global pandemic, patients must also be empowered to seek timely care for non-COVID-19-related conditions even in this time of crisis.

Elective ENT surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experience from a single UK centre.

AIM: To analyse the outcomes of patients who underwent elective ENT surgery during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in a COVID free site. METHODS: This is a retrospective single centre case series of all patients undergoing elective ENT surgery over a 16-week period between 1 April and 22 July 2020. RESULTS: No patients, out of our cohort of 85, developed postoperative COVID-19 symptoms or complications of COVID-19. There were no mortalities. CONCLUSION: The results suggests that hospitals can safely manage elective ENT operating services during the pandemic.

Colorectal cancer surgery in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic: A tale of 3 cities.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has put tremendous strain on healthcare systems. Surgical societies worldwide have advised minimizing non-essential surgeries in order to preserve hospital resources. Given the medical resources and COVID-19 incidence between countries across the world differ, so should colorectal practices. No formal guidelines have emerged from Asia. We wanted to find out what the current practice was in Asian colorectal centres outside China. INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted surgical practice worldwide. At the time of the writing of this paper, there are over 4.2 million cases reported with deaths exceeding 290 000 patients.1 With an abrupt disruption to worldwide supply chains, societal lockdowns and surge of cases into many hospitals, resource allocation was diverted and prioritised for all COVID-19 related services. METHODS: A questionnaire survey of current colorectal practice was carried out involving 3 major colorectal cancer centres, one each from 3 major cities: Singapore, Taichung and Daegu. Components of the survey include infrastructure and manpower, case selection, surgical approach, operating room management and endoscopy practice. RESULTS: All 3 centres continued to provide standard-of-care colorectal cancer surgery despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Two centres deferred surgery for benign colorectal conditions. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) was still the preferred approach when indicated but with protocolized precautions undertaken. Other services such as pelvic exenteration, TATME and pelvic lymph node dissection were still offered if oncologically indicated. Elective diagnostic endoscopy services have also continued in two centres. CONCLUSION: Elective colorectal services continue to take place in the 3 surveyed Asian hospitals with heightened precautions. Provided there is adequate resource, colorectal cancer services should still continue to prevent consequences of neglecting or delaying cancer treatment. Practice should hence be tailored to the local resource of individual centres accordingly.

COVID-19 pathway signage for operating theatres.

On 20 August 2020, Public Health England released a new version of the 'COVID-19: Guidance for the remobilisation of services within health and care settings: infection prevention and control recommendations', superseding that of 18 June 2020. In this document, the infection prevention and control principles determine that the treatment, care and support of patients are to be managed in three COVID-19 pathways. These are: 'high risk', 'medium risk' and 'low risk'. In the operating theatre, where procedures may be urgent or planned, and where various surgical and anaesthetic procedures generate airborne particles (aerosols), it is crucial to communicate the infection prevention and control recommendations in a way that is easily understood and followed by all healthcare professionals. The theatre team at one hospital in the East of England produced local alternating signage to communicate the COVID-19 pathway risk during cases in theatres. This signage - named the 'COVID-19 Flag' - is placed outside of the individual theatre to ensure that staff are informed of the infection risk with the cases underway. Furthermore, it is a quick visual guide to be used in conjunction with national guidance and local protocols for appropriate decisions regarding the treatment and care of patients in the operating theatres.

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 preparedness and response at a large UK major trauma operating theatres department.

This article aims to describe the early experience of a large major trauma operating theatres department in the East of England during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To date and to our knowledge, a small amount of reports describing a surgical department's response to this unprecedented pandemic have been published, but a well-documented account from within the United Kingdom (UK) has not yet been reported in the literature. We describe our preparation and response, including: operating theatres management during the COVID-19 pandemic, operational aspects and communication, leadership and support. The process review of measures presented covers approximately the two-month period between March and May 2020 and emphasises the fluidity of procedures needed. We discuss how significant challenges were overcome to secure implementation and reliable oversight. The visible presence of clinical leads well sighted on every aspect of the response guaranteed standardisation of procedures, while sustaining a vital feedback loop. Finally, we conclude that an effective response requires rapid analysis of the complex problem that is of providing care for patients intraoperatively during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that retrospective sense-making is essential to maintain adaptability.

Organizing an Orthopaedic Department During COVID-19 Pandemic to Mitigate In-Hospital Transmission: Experience From Greece.

The new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerging in Wuhan city of China, was the cause of a rare type of pneumonia evolving rapidly in pandemic early at the beginning of 2020. The rapid human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 increases the risk of in-hospital transmission, requiring re-definement of musculoskeletal trauma management and postoperative care. Following the review of the existing literature on COVID-19 and similar infectious diseases, National and Hospital Board instructions for Infectious Diseases, as well as the consensus for surgical care by the consortium of the Orthopaedic Department Directors, we present the outline of the implemented principles in the orthopaedic departments of a tertiary academic hospital in Greece to operate during COVID-19 pandemic. Our overall objectives were to decrease the admission load and mitigate the risk of in-hospital transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The principles involve the management of the Orthopaedic medical and nursing personnel, alterations of the workflow in the wards, operating rooms and outpatient clinics from the admission to the discharge of an orthopaedic patient. In addition, we present the recommended principles of management of traumatic orthopaedic injuries highlighting those deserving admission and in-hospital care and those that can be treated in the outpatient setting or day surgery clinics.