COVID-19 Outbreak and Surgical Practice: Unexpected Fatality in Perioperative Period

Ann Surg. 2020 Jul;272(1):e27-e29. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000003925.

Abstract

: Little is known about surgical practice in the initial phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global crisis. This is a retrospective case series of 4 surgical patients (cholecystectomy, hernia repair, gastric bypass, and hysterectomy) who developed perioperative complications in the first few weeks of COVID-19 outbreak in Tehran, Iran in the month of February 2020. COVID-19 can complicate the perioperative course with diagnostic challenge and a high potential fatality rate. In locations with widespread infections and limited resources, the risk of elective surgical procedures for index patient and community may outweigh the benefit.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Cholecystectomy / adverse effects
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Elective Surgical Procedures / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Gastric Bypass / adverse effects
  • Herniorrhaphy / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Hysterectomy / adverse effects
  • Iran / epidemiology
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • Postoperative Complications* / diagnosis
  • Postoperative Complications* / virology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2