Dear Colleagues,
The world is facing the 2nd wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection. According to the European Center of Disease Control, it is estimated that by October 18th, 2020, Europe counts with 6 976 052 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections, graphic 1. The top five countries reporting most cases are Russia (1 384 235), Spain (936 560), France (867 197), United Kingdom (705 428) and Italy (402 536). The number of deaths attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection are 240 306, graphic 1. The top five countries reporting most deaths are United Kingdom (43 579), Italy (36 474), Spain (33 775), France (33 392) and Russia (24 002).
Graphic 1. Geographic distribution of the total number of cases of SARS-CoV-2, deaths and last 14 days number of cases by European country, according to ECDC (https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/geographical-distribution-2019-ncov-cases)
Several studies reflect the higher vulnerability of healthcare workers (HCWs) to infection by SARS-CoV-2. In a series of 138 patients from Wuhan, China, 29% of the cases were HCWS.1 On a later case series including 72,314 COVID-19 cases, the proportion of HCWs was much lower (3.8%).2 In Spain, 22% of all the COVID-19 cases have been among HCWs, and in Italy, 20% of responding HCWs were infected.3,4 Approximately 10% of HCW involved in aerosol-generating procedures of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID‐19 were either diagnosed with new COVID‐19 infection or required self‐isolation or hospitalisation with new symptoms.5 In this issue of ESRA Updates we collect the testimonies of some European anesthesiologists infected with SARS-CoV-2. They are real and inspiring stories, where our colleagues honestly expose their concerns, fears and anxieties and, how they dealt with the disease, anxiety and recovery. They are courageous testimonies that fill our hearts.
Among the many frontline soldiers fighting SARS-CoV-2 were residents. ESRA residents present in an article coordinated by the ESRA residents & trainees committee their valuable contribution in each European country.
Besides the COVID-19 pandemic, on Thursday 27th August 2020 our ESRA webinar «Neuraxial analgesia and anesthesia for labour and delivery» took place. This live session was a great success with 1900 registrations, 770 unique viewers and more than 130 questions asked by attendees. In view of these positive results, the panel gathered once again to record a Q&A bonus webinar to go further into this subject and answer as much pending questions as possible.
3000 registrations, 1700 online participants, 5.6 million twitter impressions, 111 international Key Opinion Leaders, 17h of online continuous broadcasting! This was the result of a joint effort between ESRA and ASRA Societies: anesthesiologists from all over the world participated on the 19th of September to the e-Congress to discuss topics from Regional blocks, Chronic pain, Point of Care Ultrasound, postoperative pain management, peri-operative medicine… program and replay are available for one year : click here to access the e-Congress website.
Finally, and because even in times of pandemic scientific research does not stop, we present the latest recommendations published by PROSPECT: PROSPECT guideline for hallux valgus repair surgery: a systematic review and procedure-specific postoperative pain management recommendations.6 According to these recommendations, interventions that improved postoperative pain relief included paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or cyclo-oxygenase-2 selective inhibitors, systemic steroids, ankle block, and local anesthetic wound infiltration. Included in this ESRA Updates issue is a reference paper explaining how to perform an ankle block.7
Take care, be safe and enjoy this ESRA Newsletter !
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