Re-emergence of TIVA in COVID times

Abstract

Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is a technique of general anaesthesia (GA) given via intravenous route exclusively. In perspective of COVID-19, TIVA is far more advantageous than inhalational anaesthesia. It avoids the deleterious effects of immunosuppression and lacks any respiratory irritation, thus providing an edge in the current situation. Many peripheral surgeries can be done with the patient breathing spontaneously without any airway device, thus avoiding airway instrumentation leading to droplet and aerosol generation. Intravenous agents can be utilized to provide sedation during regional anaesthesia (RA), which can easily be escalated to contain pain due to sparing of blocks or receding neuraxial anaesthesia. The present narrative review focuses on the merits of adopting TIVA technique during this pandemic so as to decrease the risk and morbidity arising from anaesthetizing COVID-19 patients.