Ricerc@Sapienza

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the surgical units, especially those operating on the airways. This study evaluates the series of patients with tumors of the head and neck treated by our unit during Phase-1 of the pandemic and the efficacy of the preventive measures implemented for protecting both the patients and staff. A screening program was administered to all the patients who had to undergo surgery. None of the patients tested and operated during Phase 1, between 10 March and 18 May 2020, were positive for COVID-19.

Early in 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly spread globally, giving rise to a pandemic. In this critical scenario, patients with lung cancer need to continue to receive optimal care and at the same be shielded from infection with the potentially severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Upgrades to the prevention and control of infection have become paramount in order to lower the risk of hospital contagion. Aerosol-generating procedures such as endotracheal intubation or endoscopic procedures may expose health care workers to a high risk of infection.

L'igiene ospedaliera in Italia ha una lunga e solida storia che però richiede una necessaria riflessione per poter restare al passo con quelle che sono le innovazioni e gli sviluppi dei sistemi sanitari anche connessi a quelle che sono le attività dell'Unione Europea. A livello europeo infatti esistono diverse tradizioni nazionali che riguardo l'igiene ospedaliera e per questo motivo l'European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) ha adottato il termine "controllo delle infezioni e igiene ospedaliera" per poter così includere tutti i professionisti sanitari dei singoli Paesi.