Staying ahead of the curve: Modified approach to emergency caesarean section under general anaesthesia in COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has prompted healthcare professionals to re-design and modify the standards of care and operating procedures relevant to dealing with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. The aim of this review is to highlight the key recommenda-tions related to obstetric anaesthesia from scientific bodies in the United Kingdom and United States and to summarize recently developed and implemented clinical pathways for care of obstetric patients – specifically those requiring urgent general anaesthesia for caesarean section within a large maternity unit in London. The need to perform an emergency operative delivery in a timely manner while ensuring clinicians are suitably equipped and protected represents a uniquely challenging scenario, given the higher risk of viral transmission with aerosol gener-ating procedures. In these settings, emphasis needs to be put on meticulous preparation, safety checklists and specific equipment and staffing adjustments. We present a structured framework comprised of four critical steps aimed to facilitate the development of local strategies and protocols.