Considerations for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in COVID-19 Era: Can We Sustain the Solutions to Keep Our Patients and Healthcare Personnel Safe?

Abstract

Several uncertainties exist regarding how we will conduct our clinical, didactic, business, and social activities as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic abates and social distancing guidelines are relaxed. We anticipate changes in how we interact with our patients and other providers, how patient workflow is designed, the methods used to conduct our teaching sessions, and how we perform procedures in different clinical settings. The objective of the present report is to review some of the changes to consider in the clinical and academic oral and maxillofacial surgery workflow and, allow for a smoother transition, with less risk to our patients and healthcare personnel. New infection control policies should be strictly enforced and monitored in all clinical and nonclinical settings, with an overall goal to decrease the risk of exposure and transmission. Screening for COVID-19 symptoms, testing when indicated, and establishing the epidemiologic linkage will be crucial to containing and preventing new COVID-19 cases until a vaccine or an alternate solution is available. Additionally, the shortage of essential supplies such as drugs and personal protective equipment, the design and ventilation of workspaces and waiting areas, the increase in overhead costs, and the possible absence of staff, if quarantine is necessary, must be

Critical Care Demand and Intensive Care Supply for Patients in Japan with COVID-19 at the Time of the State of Emergency Declaration in April 2020: A Descriptive Analysis

“…Although clear evidence of person-to-person airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has not been established, an airborne component of transmission is likely, based on other respiratory viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and influenza [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ], and its presence in aerosol has been confirmed at RNA level [ 32 , 33 ]. Many infectious control guidelines recommend that healthcare workers be protected through the use of personal protective equipment [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. Suspicious airborne infectious routes make patient care difficult and complex, requiring the management of the patient using airborne precautions [ 37 ] or management of the patient in a depressurized area [ 36 ].…”

“…Many infectious control guidelines recommend that healthcare workers be protected through the use of personal protective equipment [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. Suspicious airborne infectious routes make patient care difficult and complex, requiring the management of the patient using airborne precautions [ 37 ] or management of the patient in a depressurized area [ 36 ]. A patient management ratio of one critically ill patient to one depressurized area per hospital has been used, assuming that not all infected patients could be treated in ICU beds.…”

Critical care demand and intensive care supply for patients in Japan with COVID-19 at the time of the state of emergency declaration in April 2020: a descriptive analysis.

“…This website has also reported the estimated number of mechanical ventilators for adults (n = 30091) and ECMO machines (n = 2208) in Japan ( [23][24][25][26] and its presence in aerosol has been con rmed at RNA level [27,28]. Many infectious control guidelines recommend that healthcare workers be protected through the use of personal protective equipment [29][30][31]. Suspicious airborne infectious routes make patient care di cult and complex, requiring the management of the patient using airborne precautions [32] or management of the patient in a depressurized area [31].…”

“…Many infectious control guidelines recommend that healthcare workers be protected through the use of personal protective equipment [29][30][31]. Suspicious airborne infectious routes make patient care di cult and complex, requiring the management of the patient using airborne precautions [32] or management of the patient in a depressurized area [31]. A patient management ratio of one critically ill patient to one depressurized area per hospital has been used, assuming that not all infected patients could be treated in ICU beds.…”

The COVID-19 and Saliva Paradox

“…To the Editor:-We read with great interest the article by Chigurupati et al 1 in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. In their article, the authors presented solutions to keep our patients and health care personnel safe in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era.…”