Abstract
Case A 57-year-old man presenting with two months of insidious shoulder pain was found to have a large thoracic chondrosarcoma invading the spinal canal. The patient's orthopedic oncologist organized an interdisciplinary team including interventional radiology, thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery. This allowed safe, en bloc tumor resection. The patient's postoperative course was complicated by COVID-19 pneumonia, which was rapidly identified and medically managed with full recovery. Conclusion Postoperative COVID-19 pneumonia can present insidiously and mimic other postoperative complications. Early identification and testing can promote rapid isolation, proper personal protective equipment use, and guide outcome-improving treatments.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has called into question how orthopedic surgeons should safely practice nonemergent surgeries
We present a thoracic chondrosarcoma complicated by postoperative COVID-19 pneumonia
Chondrosarcomas make up approximately 20-27% of all primary malignant bone tumors [2, 6]
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has called into question how orthopedic surgeons should safely practice nonemergent surgeries. There are few documented cases of postoperative COVID-19 infection following orthopedic procedures [1]. In this case, we present a thoracic chondrosarcoma complicated by postoperative COVID-19 pneumonia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, postoperative recovery in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) can increase a patients’ risk of COVID-19 exposure from providers and other patients [4, 5]. In this case, we highlight the need for swift recognition and coordinated management of postoperative COVID-19 infections to allow a positive outcome. The patient was informed that his case would be submitted for publication and provided consent
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