• Chow Velda Ling Yu VLY 0000-0002-3958-2410 Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Me, Chan Jimmy Yu Wai JYW 0000-0002-0303-6469 Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Med, Valerie Wai Yee Ho, George Chung Ching Lee, Melody Man Kuen Wong, Stanley Thian Sze Wong, and Wei Gao.
• Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
• Head Neck. 2020 Jun 1; 42 (6): 1187-1193.

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic has led to a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). This study aims to stratify face shield needs when performing head and neck cancer surgery.MethodsFifteen patients underwent surgery between March 1, 2020 and April 9, 2020. Operative diagnosis and procedure; droplet count and distribution on face shields were documented.ResultsForty-five surgical procedures were performed for neck nodal metastatic carcinoma of unknown origin (n = 3); carcinoma of tonsil (n = 2), tongue (n = 2), nasopharynx (n = 3), maxilla (n = 1), and laryngopharynx (n = 4). Droplet contamination was 57.8%, 59.5%, 8.0%, and 0% for operating, first and second assistant surgeons, and scrub nurse respectively. Droplet count was highest and most widespread during osteotomies. No droplet splash was noted for transoral robotic surgery.ConclusionFace shield is not a mandatory adjunctive PPE for all head and neck surgical procedures and health care providers. Judicious use helps to conserve resources during such difficult times.© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

38 keywords...

hide…