How did we protect ourselves during intubation for a COVID-19 patient in the context of PPE shortage?

Abstract

Beginning in 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) rapidly resulted in a worldwide pandemic. Many patients with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) require invasive ventilation due to severe respiratory failure. However, many medical hospitals experienced shortages of personal protective equipment, increasing the risk of healthcare workers contracting an infection. However, we report a case of acute respiratory distress syndrome during the early stage of COVID-19 treated at a university hospital outside of Wuhan, China. We described the optimization of healthcare worker personal protection and a procedure for airway management in the context of insufficient personal protective equipment. This report may provide a reference for resource-limited settings in low- and middle-income countries, even countries where healthcare systems have been overwhelmed by the pandemic.