Anesthetic and surgical management of tracheostomy in a patient with COVID-19

Hiramatsu, Mariko; Nishio, Naoki; Ozaki, Masayuki; Shindo, Yuichiro; Suzuki, Katsunao; Yamamoto, Takanori; Fujimoto, Yasushi; Sone, Michihiko

Abstract The ongoing pandemic coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection causes severe respiratory dysfunction and has become an emergent issue for worldwide healthcare. Since COVID-19 spreads through contact and droplet infection routes, careful attention to infection control and surgical management is important to prevent cross-contamination of patients and medical staff. Tracheostomy is an effective method to treat severe respiratory dysfunction with prolonged respiratory management and should be performed as a high-risk procedure. Strict precaution and sufficient use of muscle relaxants are essential during tracheostomy to minimize cross-contamination among healthcare workers in the hospital. Here, we describe the anesthetic and surgical management of tracheostomy in a patient with COVID-19.