Otolaryngology Practice and Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Summary
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 prompted an urgent reassessment of clinical workflows and infection-control measures in otolaryngology. Upper airway procedures, from nasal endoscopy to tracheostomy, carry a heightened risk of droplet and aerosol generation, placing practitioners at the frontline of exposure. In response, departments worldwide implemented enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols, including N95 or FFP3 respirators, eye protection and fluid-resistant gowns, together with careful triage to defer non-urgent cases. Telemedicine rapidly expanded for initial consultations and follow-up, reducing in-person visits and curbing viral transmission. Disinfection practices were standardised and accelerated, with novel agents and wipe systems validated for rapid turnover of endoscopes and surgical instruments. Concurrently, large-scale data analyses revealed shifts in patient caseload, with reductions in routine outpatient encounters balanced by an increased proportion of advanced disease presentations. Adaptations in operating-room ventilation, negative-pressure environments and structured donning and doffing protocols have since informed a resilient model for safe ENT practice, ensuring continuity of essential care while mitigating occupational risk.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Otolaryngology Practice and Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in otolaryngology practice and safety during the covid-19 pandemic across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Aerosol-Generating Medical Procedure (AGMP): A clinical intervention that produces fine respiratory particles capable of remaining airborne and penetrating deep into the respiratory tract.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Barrier garments and devices—such as respirators, gowns, gloves and eye shields—used to prevent pathogen transmission between patient and health-care worker.
Tracheostomy: A surgically created airway opening in the neck and trachea, often required for prolonged ventilation but associated with elevated aerosol and bleeding risks in infected patients.
Endoscope: A flexible or rigid tubular instrument with illumination and optics, used for internal visualisation of the nasal passages, sinuses and larynx.
Viral Load: The quantity of virus present in a given sample; higher loads in the airway mucosa correlate with increased transmission risk during ENT procedures.
References
- Efficacy of chlorin dioxide wipes in disinfecting airway devices contaminated with Covid-19. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (2023).
- SARS-CoV-2 infection increases airway bleeding risk in patients after tracheostomies. Virology Journal (2024).
- Impact of COVID-19 Preventative Measures on Otolaryngology in Taiwan: A Nationwide Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.