Table 6.

Strategies for children’s surgical care during COVID-19

Theme	Key examples
Diagnostics and operative triage	Facility triage
	Preoperative screening
	Assumption that every patient is an asymptomatic carrier until proven otherwise
	Increased imaging use
	Cancellation of all surgery
	More use of watchful waiting
	Use of multi-institutional guidelines
Intraoperative precautions	Use of a laparoscopic viral filter
	Use of the ‘Taiwan box’ intraoperatively
	Increased use of laparoscopy/videoendoscopy
	Increased use of open procedures.
	Special post anesthesia precaution time
	Limiting staff in the operating room
	Limiting resident/trainee involvement
Postoperative management	Use of telemedicine for follow-up visits
	Dedicated spaces or reserved isolation rooms for patients suspected of having or positive for COVID-19
	COVID-19 ward for postoperative care
	Expedited discharge
	Longer follow-up care
Personal protective equipment and sterilization	Required use of masks in the hospital
	Dedicated operating room for children positive for COVID-19
	Disinfecting all ORs with UV light
	Reserving PPE like new N95 for surgeries or intubation for patients suspected of having COVID-19 or positive for COVID-19
	Use of an N95, controlled air purifying respirator or powered air purifying respirator in the operating room

COVID-19, the coronavirus disease 2019; OR, oral rehydration; PPE, personal protective equipment; UV, ultraviolet.