Vincenzo D. Palumbo, Marianna Messina
Summary
In the last few months, approximately 28,000,000 surgeries have been postponed, in order to allow healthcare personnel to face the most critical phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. Over 70 male patients are more prone to develop complications after major surgery procedures (neurosurgery, thoracic and abdominal surgery, emergency surgery, followed by all oncological procedures). To date, there is a debate about the possibility to prioritize surgery (with the risks that could follow) or recovery from Covid-19. In the time of Covid-19 pandemic, it is appropriate to consider each patient as a possible infected and take all the necessary precautionary measures, starting from the preoperative screening up to the use of all personal protective equipment. Modification of the checklists and implementation of practical activities aimed to reduce contacts can be considered as an easily attainable and positive step in the direction of improving safety for the operating room healthcare workers caring for patients and patients undergoing surgery.
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