Guidelines for Surgical Tracheostomy and Tracheostomy Tube Change During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review Article

• Published in: Indian journal of otolaryngology, and head, and neck surgery Vol. 72; no. 3; pp. 398 - 401
• Main Authors: Radhakrishnan, Suma, Perumbally, Hafees Abdullah, Surya, Sai, Ponneth, Mohammed Shareef
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 01.09.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Head and Neck Surgery; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Ostomy; Other; Other Articles; Otorhinolaryngology; Pandemics; Tracheotomy; COVID-19 pandemic; Tracheostomy; Aerosol generating procedure; Surgical airway
• ISSN: 2231-3796; 0973-7707
• DOI: 10.1007/s12070-020-01893-y

The novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) has unfolded into a pandemic and is continuing to propagate at a frightening speed. The aim of this article is to share our protocol for performing a safe surgical tracheostomy in this COVID-19 era. Tracheostomy procedures have a high risk of aerosol generation. To standardize institutional safety measures with tracheostomy, we advocate using a dedicated tracheostomy protocol applicable to all patients including those suspected of having COVID-19. We also did explore the current literature and recommendations for tracheostomy in patients with COVID-19 and studied the previous data from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV-1), the virus responsible for the SARS outbreak of 2003. We have prepared a protocol for performing a safe surgical tracheotomy in patients affected by COVID-19. Surgeons who might be involved in performing the tracheostomies should become familiar with these guidelines.