Regional Anesthesia in Times of COVID-19

Abstract

The globalized coronavirus pandemic 2019 has kept us on our toes. Although confusion is widespread and there is a trend toward normalization of almost all human activities, outbreaks remain frequent. The majority of patients with COVID-19 have a trivial to moderate clinical course; a small group develops severe pneumonia and other life-threatening complications. Vaccination against this virus has contributed to better control of the pandemic, but there are no antiviral drugs that have demonstrated efficacy; therefore, the management of surgical patients confirmed or suspected of this disease is a challenge for health care workers, including the anesthesiologists, as well as the non-COVID-19 patients who at a given moment could become carriers or sick. General anesthesia produces aerosols and risks medical and technical personnel being infected, especially those who manage the airway. On the other hand, regional anesthesia has advantages over general anesthesia because the airway is not handled; however, its limited duration is the most important concern. It is reasonable that regional anesthesia occupies a preponderant place in the safe management of all patients, as long as the type of surgery allows it, the anesthesiologist has sufficient skills and patients accept the proposed technique. At this time of globalized crisis due to COVID-19, the intrapandemic anesthetic management of patients undergoing surgery continues to be a changing task, a challenge that has been solved as new data based on solid scientific evidence arise, besides the development of drugs, safer vaccines, equipment, and health prophylactic methods. There is a clear tendency to use regional anesthesia whenever this is possible.