D26. Retrospective Review of Complications and Outcomes in COVID-19 Positive Comorbid Patients Undergoing Limb Salvage Procedures in a Tertiary Care Wound Center

Abstract

PURPOSE: COVID-19 infection is associated with increased operative risks. There is a paucity of literature describing the implications a COVID-19-positive diagnosis has on limb salvage procedures with chronic wounds. We sought to characterize our recent experience with COVID-positive patients in a tertiary care wound center. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent lower extremity (LE) limb salvage procedures within 30 days of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Patient demographics, comorbidities, operative factors and postoperative complications were collected. RESULTS: Of 597 patients screened from February 2020 to March 2022, a total of 67 (11.2%) were diagnosed with COVID-19, of which 17 received the diagnosis within 30 days of surgery and were thus included. Average follow-up was 43±3.2 months, at which point, only six (35.3%) were fully healed and 35.3% (n=6) were ambulatory. Mortality rate at the most recent follow-up visit was 29.4% (n=5); causes included pulmonary embolism (n=2; 40.0%) and pneumonia (n=2; 40.0%). Two patients required admission to the surgical intensive care unit and one necessitated a return to the operating room. CONCLUSION: This study highlights that COVID-19 may be a factor that negatively affects the wound healing process and increases the mortality rate amongst highly comorbid patients undergoing limb salvage procedures. There is a necessity for medical providers to fully understand the complexity of these patients and apply a multi-disciplinary protocol to obtain similar successful outcomes.