The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Surgery Process

Abstract

With this review, it was aimed to discuss the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the process before, during and after surgery. Studies that were accessed using the keywords “COVID-19”, “perioperative” and “surgery” in Pubmed and Science Direct and Turkish databases were discussed. The measures taken with the declaration of the pandemic also affected surgical practices, and postponing elective cases other than emergency and cancer surgery was one of the common measures implemented in many countries. In addition to all these measures and recommendations, the fact that the operating room environment has some unique risk factors draws attention to the process before, during and after the surgery. Guidelines for the measures to be taken in the national and international arena are published in order to plan the workforce of health professionals and to use limited health care resources effectively, as well as to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These measures and recommendations are shaped according to the statistical fluctuation in the number of infected cases and health care resources in countries, and policies and procedures regarding the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative period are updated. It is extremely important to follow the current literature in order to protect both patients and healthcare professionals involved in the surgical process and to prevent cross-contamination against the COVID-19 virus.