Guidelines: Anaesthesia in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med. 2020 Jun;39(3):395-415. doi: 10.1016/j.accpm.2020.05.012. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

Abstract

Objectives: The world is currently facing an unprecedented healthcare crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of these guidelines is to produce a framework to facilitate the partial and gradual resumption of intervention activity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The group has endeavoured to produce a minimum number of recommendations to highlight the strengths to be retained in the 7 predefined areas: (1) protection of staff and patients; (2) benefit/risk and patient information; (3) preoperative assessment and decision on intervention; (4) modalities of the preanaesthesia consultation; (5) specificity of anaesthesia and analgesia; (6) dedicated circuits and (7) containment exit type of interventions.

Results: The SFAR Guideline panel provides 51 statements on anaesthesia management in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. After one round of discussion and various amendments, a strong agreement was reached for 100% of the recommendations and algorithms.

Conclusion: We present suggestions for how the risk of transmission by and to anaesthetists can be minimised and how personal protective equipment policies relate to COVID-19 pandemic context.

Keywords: Airway management; COVID-19; Infection prevention and control; Personal protective equipment; SARS-CoV-2; Viruses.

Publication types

  • Practice Guideline

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Airway Management
  • Analgesia / adverse effects
  • Analgesia / methods
  • Analgesia / standards*
  • Anesthesia / adverse effects
  • Anesthesia / methods
  • Anesthesia / standards*
  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Child
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques
  • Comorbidity
  • Coronavirus Infections* / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections* / prevention & control
  • Coronavirus Infections* / transmission
  • Critical Pathways
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control
  • Cross Infection / transmission
  • Disinfection
  • Elective Surgical Procedures
  • Equipment Contamination / prevention & control
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods
  • Infection Control / standards*
  • Informed Consent
  • Occupational Diseases / prevention & control
  • Operating Rooms / standards
  • Pandemics* / prevention & control
  • Patient Isolation
  • Personal Protective Equipment / supply & distribution
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / prevention & control
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / transmission
  • Preoperative Care
  • Professional Staff Committees
  • Risk
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Symptom Assessment
  • Universal Precautions