SARS-CoV-2–related outcomes after surgical procedures on SARS-CoV-2–positive patients in a large, urban, safety net medical center

• Main Authors: Rachel E. Sargent, MD, Stephen F. Sener, MD, FACS, Rodolfo Amaya, MD, Elizabeth Vazquez, BA, Michael E. Bowdish, MD, MS, FACS, Brad Spellberg, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-07-01
• Series: Surgery Open Science
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258984502100004X

Background: Beginning on March 16, 2020, nonurgent scheduled operations at a large, urban, safety net medical center were canceled. The purpose of this study was to determine complications associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection for all operations done from March 16 to June 30, 2020. Study Design: This study was a single-institution, retrospective observational analysis of data for all surgical procedures and all severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 tests done in the medical center from March 16 to June 30, 2020. The charts of all severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–positive patients who had a surgical procedure during the study time period were retrospectively reviewed to assess the outcomes. Results: Of 2,208 operations during that time, 29 (1.3%) patients were severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–positive and were asymptomatic at the time of their operations. Twenty-four (82.7%) of the 29 required urgent or emergent procedures. The median time between availability of test results and operations for these patients was 0.63 + 1.94 days. With median follow-up of 89 days, none of the 29 patients died from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–related causes, and none developed clinically evident thromboembolism or required reintubation secondary to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–related pneumonia. Conclusion: By operating on carefully screened, asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–positive patients, it was possible to eliminate major complications and mortality due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection.