Fig. 1
From: The role of the orthopaedic surgeon in the COVID-19 era: cautions and perspectives
Decisional algorithm for guiding surgical indication during the COVID-19 pandemic. *A preoperative nasopharyngeal swab should be obtained and tested for SARS-CoV-2 as soon as reasonably possible without delaying surgery. §Elective surgery indication should be judiciously pondered depending on availability of ICU beds, ventilators, PPE, workforce, blood units as well as institutional priorities. †Suspected symptoms include fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease, e.g., cough, shortness of breath [54].ǂIn case of a pending or undetermined result, consider whether to postpone surgery or to proceed adopting all the precautions for suspected or COVID+ patients. ASA: American Society of Anesthesiologists; HT: hypertension; DM: diabetes mellitus; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CHD: cardiac ischemic disease