COVID Operation Theatre- Advisory and Position Statement of Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists (ISA National)

• Published in: Indian journal of anaesthesia Vol. 64; no. 5; pp. 355 - 362
• Main Authors: Malhotra, Naveen, Bajwa, Sukhminder, Joshi, Muralidhar, Mehdiratta, Lalit, Trikha, Anjan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Belagaum Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.05.2020; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Wolters Kluwer - Medknow; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Air conditioning; Anesthesia; Cesarean section; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease transmission; Diseases; Health aspects; HVAC; Intubation; ISA Advisory; Medical wastes; Morbidity; Mortality; Patients; Personal protective equipment; Professional associations; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Surgery; Time; Virus diseases
• ISSN: 0019-5049; 0976-2817
• DOI: 10.4103/ija.IJA_454_20

Doffing Area There should be a dedicated doffing room with hand sanitization facility and waste collection binsUsed PPEs should be disposed as per the Bio Medical Waste Management guidelines 7. Air Conditioning of OT Airborne infection isolation requirements (AIIR) have to be strictly enforcedThe most important factor in COVID -19 pandemic is to ensure that the virus laden airborne particles do not leak out of the rooms occupied by COVID-19 patients and also to maintain the concentration of virus laden particles inside the COVID-19 patient room at a minimum. If a COVID-19 patient has to be operated in such an OT, it will present a significant risk of the virus laden particles spreading out from the designated COVID OTSince, majority of operation theatres in India are not negatively pressurized, the positive pressure system and central air conditioning must be turned offTo convert an existing OT into a COVID OT, it is first necessary to convert the OT into a non-recirculatory system (100% once through system)On an emergency basis, this can be achieved by blanking (blocking) off the return air vents in the OT. The other two options available for exhaust air treatment being Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (15 minutes) and heating (45 min at a temperature of 75°C)Planning should be started urgently for dedicated central air conditioning for COVID OT with provision for altering the pressure in OT (making it negative pressurized).