Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has raised concern of transmission of infectious organisms through aerosols formation in endonasal and transoral surgery.
Methods: Retrospective review. We introduce the negative-pressure otolaryngology viral isolation drape (NOVID) system to reduce the risk of aerosol. NOVID consists of a plastic drape suspended above the patient's head and surgical field with a smoke evacuator suction placed inside the chamber.
Results: Four patients underwent endonasal (4) and endo-oral surgery (1). Fluorescein was applied to the surgical field. Black light examination of fluorescein-treated operative fields revealed minimal contamination distant to the surgical field. In two prolonged cases with high-speed drilling, droplets were identified under the barrier and on the tip of the smoke evacuator. Instruments and cottonoids appeared to be a greater contributor to field contamination.
Conclusions: Negative-pressure aspiration of air under a chamber barrier, which appears to successfully keep aerosol and droplet contamination to a minimum.
Keywords: COVID-19; aerosolization; endoscopic surgery; negative-pressure; skull base.
© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.