Abstract Introduction The novel coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has rapidly spread worldwide, challenging healthcare resources and communities to an unprecedent degree. Simultaneously, the amount of clinical and scientific information released has overwhelmed journal platforms. Objectives This review aims to summarize the available diagnostic tools and current guidelines to safely assist patients while limiting the exposure of otolaryngologists during this pandemic. Data Synthesis Key articles were retrieved from the following databases: PubMed, Lancet, Springer Nature, BioMed Central, JAMA network and MEDLINE, as well as updated documents from the Spanish Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Spanish Association of Surgeons, ENT-UK, American College of Surgeons, and American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. The terms used for the search were: COVID-19, Test COVID, Surgery in COVID, 2019-nCoV, ‘coronavirus’, and SARS-CoV-2. A total of 10,245 papers were retrieved. The inclusion criteria for the review included: COVID-19 testing (n = 531), society guidelines for otolaryngology-head and neck surgery patient care in the outpatient clinic (n = 10) and surgical (n = 18) settings. Studies not related to COVID-19 diagnosis were excluded. Conclusion Healthcare institutions around the world are outlining their own protocols regarding laboratory testing and personnel protective equipment usage based upon medical societies recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have summarized the available laboratory tests and their respective sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, clinical guidelines from different societies were reviewed and summarized to facilitate guidance for otolaryngologists in the operating room and in the clinical settings.

El Test de Tzanck es un método de diagnóstico en infecciones por Herpesvirus al demostrar la presencia de células gigantes multinucleadas. Su mayor éxito ha sido en lesiones vesiculares. El objetivo de este trabajo fue conocer la utilidad del Test de Tzanck como herramienta diagnóstica complementaria a la clínica en pacientes con lesiones dermatológicas sospechosas, enfatizando en pacientes seropositivos para infección por Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana (VIH). Se incluyeron 92 pacientes (40 femeninos/52 masculinos), estudiados en el Laboratorio Microbiología del Instituto de Biomedicina entre los años 2000 a 2004 a quienes se les practicó el Test de Tzanck en muestras de secreción de úlceras y decapitación de vesículas. 28 de los pacientes eran VIH positivos. Se encontró que el Test de Tzanck fue positivo en 32/92 pacientes (35%), sin diferencia estadísticamente significativa según el tipo de muestra. De las 18 lesiones ulcerosas estudiadas 32% fueron positivas. No hubo diferencias en la positividad del Test de Tzanck según la condición VIH de los pacientes. Se concluye que el Test de Tzanck es de utilidad como método diagnóstico rápido en lesiones dermatológicas de etiología viral con especial interés en lesiones ulcerosas en pacientes VIH positivos.

Tzanck’s Test is a diagnostic method in Herpesvirus infections by showing the presence of giant multinucleated cells. It greatest success has been in vesicular lesions. The purpose of this work was to establish the usefulness of Tzanck’s Test as a complementary diagnostic tool in the clinic in patients with suspicious dermatological lesions, emphasizing its use in Human Immunodeficiency Virus seropositive patients (HIV). The patients included were 92 (40 females/52 males) studied at the Microbiology Laboratory of the Instituto de Biomedicina between the years 2000 and 2004 in whom we used Tzanck’s Test in ulcer secretion and vesicle decapitation samples. 28 of the patients were HIV positive. Tzanck’s Test was positive in 32/92 patients (35%), with no statistically significant difference according to the type of sample. Of the 18 ulcerous lesions studied, 32% were positive. There were no differences in Tzanck’s Test positivity according to the HIV condition of the patients. It is concluded that Tzanck’s Test is useful as a fast diagnostic method in viral etiology dermatological lesions, with special interest in ulcerous lesions of VIH positive patients.