The appearance of a new coronavirus disease called COVID-19 at the end of 2019 and its pandemic expansion in the world has changed the usual practice of the specialty of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT). After a phase of exponential growth of infections, it has been possible to enter a phase of control of the spread of the disease in which the possibility of infection persists, and the appearance of new cases is considered acceptable by the health system. The aim of this document is to review the available evidence and propose strategies and recommendations for the medical-surgical practice of otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery, which allow establishing the usual activity, adapting the safety and efficacy standards to the current situation. Therefore, it is required to identify and classify patients according to criteria of infectious-immunological status, and to establish recommendations for protection in consultations, hospitalization and the operating room, which avoid the transmission of the disease to other users and healthcare personnel, in the specific context of the development of our specialty. This document is the result of the collaboration of all the scientific commissions and the SEORLCCC COVID-19 committee.

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The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and morbidity in the use of the palatal implant technique (PITs) in patients with failed uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) after a 6-month follow-up period. This was a prospective, nonrandomized study. Sixteen patients who underwent UPPP by the same Institution with Fujita's technique with initial success but developed posterior residual apnea or snoring who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Responses of all patients and their partners were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS). Objective data were recorded using ambulatory polysomnography before and at 6 months after surgery. Postoperative VAS and ESS scores significantly improved by 180 days after surgery (P < 0.005). VAS snoring score was reduced from 8.3 +/- 0.8 to 5.5 +/- 1.7 (P < 0.005) and ESS score decreased from 13.3 +/- 5.9 to 10.25 +/- 4.6 (P< 0.005). The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) decreased from 18.08 +/- 6.02 to 16.8 +/- 5.05 events/h (P = 0.03). The PIT is an effective treatment for snoring and daytime sleepiness of patients with failed UPPPs.