Evaluation of the aerosol generating potential of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy

Abstract

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to renewed concerns of the transmission risks posed by surgeries on sites of high viral colonization such as the nasopharynx. Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) involves the creation of a new tear duct from the lacrimal sac to the nasal cavity. The purpose of this project is to determine if endoscopic DCR is an aerosol generating procedure (AGP). Methods: An optical particle sizer (OPS) was used to intraoperatively quantify aerosol concentrations during four cases of endoscopic DCR. The OPS sampled the air once every 60 seconds throughout the operations. The time of important operative steps were documented and correlated with OPS readings. Particle concentrations during each major surgical step were compared to baseline readings by the Mann Whitney U Test. Results: There were statistically significant increases in median particle concentrations during laryngeal mask airway intubations for both particles 0.3 to 5.0 μm and >5.0 μm (P