The Role of Regional Anesthesia During the SARS-CoV2 Pandemic: Appraisal of Clinical, Pharmacological and Organizational Aspects

Gianluca Cappelleri, Andrea Fanelli, Daniela Ghisi, Gianluca Russo, Antonio Giorgi, Vito Torrano, Giuliano Lo Bianco, Salvatore Salomone, Roberto Fumagalli, Gianluca Cappelleri, Andrea Fanelli, Daniela Ghisi, Gianluca Russo, Antonio Giorgi, Vito Torrano, Giuliano Lo Bianco, Salvatore Salomone, Roberto Fumagalli

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus SARS-CoV2 is spreading over millions of people worldwide, leading to thousands of deaths, even among the healthcare providers. Italy has registered the deaths of 337 physicians and more than 200 nurses as of March 14, 2021. Anesthesiologists are at higher risk as they are the care providers in both ICU and operating rooms.Although the vaccination of healthcare providers has been the prioirity, physicians are still continually exposed to the virus and potentially risk contagion and must thus protect themselves and their patients from the risks of infection while providing the best care to their surgical patients.Regional anesthesia allows for a reduction in airway manipulation, reducing environmental contamination as a result. Furthermore, regional anesthesia reduces the opioid requirements as well as the muscle paralysis due to muscle-relaxants and should be recommended whenever possible in COVID-19 patients. Our aim is to evaluate the advantages and criticisms of regional anesthesia in the management of surgical patients in the pandemic age.

Keywords: COVID-19; anesthesia; conduction; coronavirus; regional anaesthesia; regional anesthesia; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Copyright © 2021 Cappelleri, Fanelli, Ghisi, Russo, Giorgi, Torrano, Lo Bianco, Salomone and Fumagalli.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Phase two of the COVID-19 pandemic: surgical patient’s management protocol and the role of regional anesthesia (adapted by “ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano”. Niguarda Hospital, https://accessoweb.ospedaleniguarda.it:11050/img/upload/files/2836_attivit__chirurigca.pdf).

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