Laparoscopic surgeries and carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum during COVID-19 pandemic: problems and solutions

摘要

The advantages of laparoscopic or minimally invasive or robotic-assisted surgeries in abdominal and certain thoracic operations are well understood and are practiced all over the world. The advantages are early recovery, lesser postoperative pain, minimal handling of gut thereby facilitating early bowel recovery. Minimally invasive surgery is one of the advocated modalities whenever possible in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery pathway for obvious reasons.1 With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) all over the world there are certain pertinent queries raised by societies regarding safety of laparoscopic surgery in suspected or positive COVID-19 patients.