Cirugía durante la pandemia del SARS-COV-2/COVID-19: el efecto de la generación de aerosoles de partículas en escenarios quirúrgicos

To date no conclusive information has been published to support the theory that respiratory viruses are transmitted through surgical smoke or pneumoperitoneum. Therefore, alerts about the risks of laparoscopy issued during the first weeks of the pandemic should be viewed with caution and in light of changing evidence on the subject. Both open and laparoscopic surgery have the potential to generate aerosols of particles and therefore, in both scenarios, the protection of all the surgical team within the operating room is essential. In all procedures during the pandemic season, the most effective strategies should be sought to control potential sources of transmission and minimize staff exposure at times of greatest risk related to the management of the patient’s airway and cavities. The following is a narrative review of the literature on surgeries during the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic and the effect of aerosols during these procedures, in order to integrate and publicize the main measures that have been proposed globally, to manage this new group of patients.