ReviewSurgical endoscopy2020
The risk of COVID-19 transmission by laparoscopic smoke may be lower than for laparotomy: a narrative review.
Review in Surgical endoscopy, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 48 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
48 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 84 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Laparoscopic surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: detection of SARS-COV-2 in abdominal tissues, fluids, and surgical smoke.Langenbeck's archives of surgery · 2021Pooled it
- Laparoscopy in Low-Income Countries: 10-Year Experience and Systematic Literature Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Pooled it
- EAES Recommendations for Recovery Plan in Minimally Invasive Surgery Amid COVID-19 Pandemic.Surgical endoscopy · 2021Guideline
- Exploring the Landscape of Operating Room Scheduling: A Bibliometric Analysis of Recent Advancements and Future Prospects.Biomedical engineering and computational biology · 2025Review
- Surgical smoke: a matter of hygiene, toxicology, and occupational health.GMS hygiene and infection control · 2024Review
- Existence of SARS-Cov-2 in the Peritoneal Fluid.Revista brasileira de ginecologia e obstetricia : revista da Federacao Brasileira das Sociedades de Ginecologia e Obstetricia · 2023Article
- Article
- Genetic Load of SARS-CoV-2 in Aerosols Collected in Operating Theaters.Applied and environmental microbiology · 2022Article
- Safe Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Current obesity reports · 2022Review
- Evolving Trends in the Management of Acute Appendicitis During COVID-19 Waves: The ACIE Appy II Study.World journal of surgery · 2022Article
- Academic surgery amid the COVID-19 pandemic: A perspective of the present and future challenges.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2022Review
- The Aerosolization of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): Phase I.The Journal of surgical research · 2022Article
- Maintaining a minimally invasive surgical service during a pandemic.Pediatric surgery international · 2022Article
- Article
- Presentation and outcomes of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned from the Middle East-a multicentre prospective cohort study.International journal of colorectal disease · 2022Article
- Perspectives of Gynecologic Oncologists on Minimally Invasive Surgery During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Turkish Society of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Oncology (MIJOD) Survey.Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP · 2022Article
- Comparison of surgical smoke between open surgery and laparoscopic surgery for colorectal disease in the COVID-19 era.Surgical endoscopy · 2022Article
- Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer Performed During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic.Seminars in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery · 2022Article
- Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSurgical smoke is a well-recognized hazard in the operating room. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, surgical societies quickly published guidelines recommending avoiding laparoscopy or to consider open surgery because of the fear of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through surgical smoke or aerosol. This narrative review of the literature aimed to determine whether there are any differences in the creation of surgical smoke/aerosol between laparoscopy and laparotomy and if laparoscopy may be safer than laparotomy.
methodsA literature search was performed using the Pubmed, Embase and Google scholar search engines, as well as manual search of the major journals with specific COVID-19 sections for ahead-of-print publications.
resultsOf 1098 identified articles, we critically appraised 50. Surgical smoke created by electrosurgical and ultrasonic devices has the same composition both in laparoscopy and laparotomy. SARS-CoV-2 has never been found in surgical smoke and there is currently no data to support its virulence if ever it could be transmitted through surgical smoke/aerosol.
conclusionIf laparoscopy is performed in a closed cavity enabling containment of surgical smoke/aerosol, and proper evacuation of smoke with simple measures is respected, and as long as laparoscopy is not contraindicated, we believe that this surgical approach may be safer for the operating team while the patient has the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. Evidence-based research in this field is needed for definitive determination of safety.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.