Integrated Infection Control in the Maxillofacial Operation Theatre Considering COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

AbstractThe pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has influenced all services of life, including dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery. COVID-19 is primarily spread through contact with infected person, mucosal/respiratory droplets, fomites/contaminated surfaces/objects, and aerosol. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are particularly at a high risk of transmission of COVID-19 due to proximity with patient during treatment. All cases should be assumed COVID-19 positive till proven otherwise because now asymptomatic patients also report to be COVID-19 positive. Such patients act as a carrier, shedding virus to expose the oral and maxillofacial surgeons. All elective procedures can be postponed. Only emergency cases that require immediate treatment should be done with proper standard precautions and sound infection control practice. During surgery, we require a maxillofacial operation theater (OT), which is divergent from other OTs due to the use of high-powered aerosol-generating instruments during surgery that increase the chances of spreading infection in the OTs. The aim of this paper is to integrate infection control in the OT for the management of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients throughout emergency treatment in oral and maxillofacial surgery.