These recommendations are mainly based on an expert consensus on special features, patient-specific advantages and possible resource conservation in view of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic These recommendations may change if new clinical data are published or new aspects of the pandemic situation are added In the current situation, elective interventions have been largely postponed and there are mostly only urgent and emergency surgical interventions performed in Germany By delaying elective procedures, the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 for patients is reduced, human resources and material resources are spared in view of the increasing pandemic situation The use of regional anesthesia techniques instead of general anesthesia presumably avoids aerosol formation in COVID-19-positive patients (employee protection) and reduces possible patient risks due to the special features of general anesthesia in COVID-19 patients (restricted sensory function of the practitioner by the Personal protective equipment (PPE), mandatory rapid sequence induction, etc ) This article discusses peculiarities when performing neuraxial and peripheral regional anesthesia with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection © 2020 DIOmed Verlags GmbH All rights reserved
Regionalanästhesie in der COVID-19-Pandemiesituation - Ad-hoc-Empfehlung eines Expertengremiums