Practical Considerations In The Anaesthetic Management Of Patients During A COVID-19 Epidemic

The European respiratory journal

Ong, S.; Tan, T. Khee.

Abstract

We read with interest the excellent Association guidelines for the anaesthetic management of patients during a COVID-19 outbreak. We concur with these guidelines, which are not dissimilar to our hospital's protocols since Singapore reported its first case of COVID-19 on 23 January 2020. To date, there have been 226 confirmed cases in Singapore with no deaths reported. We are preparing for many more when community transmission becomes widespread and every patient presenting for surgery becomes a potential asymptomatic infected case. We would like to highlight additional anaesthetic considerations in this COVID-19 pandemic. Our discussion is limited to patients not known to be COVID infected.

Keywords

Clinical aspects, diagnosis, treatment