Risk Assessment of Surgical Interventions Performed on Non-Infected Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Anıl Demiroz,Hakan Arslan,Can Ege Yalcin,Servet Aydin

doi:10.7759/cureus.11682

Abstract

BackgroundA number and a variety of surgical interventions were highly affected by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Most of the elective operations were discontinued with the fear of exacerbating the disease in patients and spreading it among healthcare professionals.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to report postoperative rates of COVID-19 in patients who underwent emergency and urgent surgery during the pandemic and to determine a safe algorithm in order to propose an ideal approach for surgeries.Patients and methodsA total of 162 patients being operated upon emergency or urgent causes between March 11 and May 31 2020 were included in the study. Safety measures advised by the World Health Organization were applied. The patients' operative data and postoperative COVID-19 status were recorded and statistically evaluated.ResultsSurgical interventions were required for skin cancer, upper extremity trauma, soft tissue infections, maxillofacial trauma, lower extremity trauma and other causes. Local anesthesia was used for 127 patients (78.4%). General anesthesia was used for 28 patients (17,3%). Two of 162 patients contracted COVID-19 postoperatively on days 15 and 21, respectively. No statistical significance was found between surgery and anesthesia types regarding COVID-19 risk.ConclusionIt appears that emergency and urgent surgeries can be performed safely. However, this relies upon adequate safety measures being taken with regards to screening for COVID-19 antigen positivity in patients preoperatively. Further evidence is required to determine the safety of elective surgeries.

Highlights

Severe adult respiratory syndrome (SARS) was first described in 2002 as a lethal disease
Surgical interventions were required for skin cancer, upper extremity trauma, soft tissue infections, maxillofacial trauma, lower extremity trauma and other causes
No statistical significance was found between surgery and anesthesia types regarding COVID-19 risk

Summary

Introduction

Severe adult respiratory syndrome (SARS) was first described in 2002 as a lethal disease It was caused by a subtype of coronavirus and resulted in a lower respiratory tract infection with respiratory failure. The coronavirus family was originally described in the 1930s as a zoonotic pathogen that can cause respiratory tract infections in chickens, bats, mice and various other animals Zoonotic sources of this virus are warm-blooded vertebrates. The recently described severe adult respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV1), Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe adult respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) can cause lethal lower respiratory tract infections in humans [3]. Most of the elective operations were discontinued with the fear of exacerbating the disease in patients and spreading it among healthcare professionals

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion