The COVID-19 pandemic is a global problem that has adversely and significantly impacted the safe practice of maxillofacial surgery. The risk lies in the heavy viral load in the oral/nasal/upper respiratory mucosal surfaces. Surgical procedures performed in this anatomic regional produce aerosalized viral particles which are highly infectious. Best practices and recommendations are outlined to mitigate the risk to the provider.
ZouLRuanFHuangM, et al.SARS-CoV-2 viral load in upper respiratory specimens of infected patients. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(12):1177–1179. doi:0.1056/NEJMc2001737
2.
Van DoremalenNBushmakerTMorrisDH, et al.Aerosol and surface stability of SARS-CoV-2 as compared with SARS-CoV-1. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(16):1564–1567. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2004973
3.
Website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Infection Control > Environmental Infection Control Guidelines > Part IV. Appendices > Appendix B. Air > Airborne Contaminant Removal > Table B. 1. ACH and time required for airborne-containment removal by efficiency. https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/environmental/appendix/air.html
HN Cancer Care Guidelines During COVID-19 Epidemic, Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
6.
MehannaHHardmanJCShensonJAAbou-FoulAKTopfMC. Recommendations for head and neck surgical oncology practice in a setting of acute severe resource constraint during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international consensus. Lancet Oncol. 2020;21(7):e350–e359. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30334-X