In December 2019 a new virus, a novel type of coronavirus, was reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, causing Severe Acute Respiratory Failure. This SARS-CoV-2 virus was described by the World Health Organization as COVID-19 for referring to the pathology it caused.11 Orser BA. Recommendations for Endotracheal Intubation of COVID-19 Patients. Anesth Analg. 2020;130:1.
In August 2020, this virus is a global pandemic that affects more than 100 countries worldwide, and Spanish healthcare workers were among the most involved and infected worldwide. The numbers in our country are overwhelming: as a November 2020, over 440,000 confirmed cases, over 29,000 casualties, and over 55,000 infected healthcare professionals. Healthcare staff is more than 20% of the total of the country, being in other countries like Italy 10%, and in China or USA approximately 3-4%, according to the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention.22 Alhazzani W, Møller MH, Arabi YM, et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: guidelines on the management of critically ill adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Intensive Care Med. 2020;46:854-87.
Airway maneuvers have proven to be one of the phases of greatest contagion exposure for healthcare personnel (intubation, aspiration of secretions, extubation and tracheostomy). Therefore, we believe it is fundamental to standardize the care given to these patients in order to reduce mortality and to reduce the number of infected healthcare workers.33 Martín Delgado MC, Aviles-Jurado FX, Álvarez Escudero J. Documento de consenso de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias (SEMICYUC), la Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello y la Sociedad Española de Anestesiología y Reanimación (SEDAR) sobre l. Med Intensiva. 2020.
For COVID-19 airway management, we proposed to ask 7 basic questions in airway management (see Figure), 5W2H, trying to solve this problem. Why (1), When (2), Who (3), Where (4), What (5), How (1) and How much (2).
References
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1Orser BA. Recommendations for Endotracheal Intubation of COVID-19 Patients. Anesth Analg. 2020;130:1.
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2Alhazzani W, Møller MH, Arabi YM, et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: guidelines on the management of critically ill adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Intensive Care Med. 2020;46:854-87.
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3Martín Delgado MC, Aviles-Jurado FX, Álvarez Escudero J. Documento de consenso de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias (SEMICYUC), la Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello y la Sociedad Española de Anestesiología y Reanimación (SEDAR) sobre l. Med Intensiva. 2020.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
24 May 2021 -
Date of issue
Mar-Apr 2021
History
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Received
19 Feb 2021
