Personal protective equipment and evidence‐based advice for surgical departments during COVID‐19

Abstract

Background Inconsistencies regarding the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) have raised concerns for the safety of surgical staff during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. This rapid review synthesises the literature that includes input from clinical experts to provide evidence‐based guidance for surgical services. Methods The rapid review comprised of targeted searches in PubMed and grey literature. Pertinent findings were discussed by a working group of clinical experts, and consensus recommendations, consistent with Australian and New Zealand Government guidelines, were formulated. Results There was a paucity of high‐quality primary studies specifically investigating appropriate surgical PPE for healthcare workers treating patients possibly infected with COVID‐19. SARS‐CoV‐2 is capable of aerosol, droplet and fomite transmission, making it essential to augment standard infection control measures with appropriate PPE, especially during surgical emergencies and aerosol‐generating procedures. All biological material should be treated a potential source of SARS‐COV‐2. Staff must have formal training in the use of PPE and should be supervised by a colleague during donning and doffing. Patients with suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 should wear a surgical mask during transfer to and from theatre. Potential solutions exist in the literature to extend the use of surgical P2/N95 respirators in situations of limited supply. Conclusion PPE is advised for all high‐risk procedures and when a patient’s COVID‐19 status is unknown. Surgical departments should facilitate staggered rostering, remote meeting attendance, and self‐isolation of symptomatic staff. Vulnerable surgical staff should be identified and excluded from operations with a high risk of COVID‐19 infection.