Early Epidemiological and Survival Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients
Undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery
Abstract
background and aim: world health organization (WHO) declared the novel
coronavirus 2019 outbreak a pandemic on 11 March 2020. No data have been
published so far regarding the COVID-19 patients undergoing
cardiovascular surgery. Methods: Medical files of 503 patients
undergoing cardiovascular surgery were evaluated. Sixty-four patients
(12.7%) was diagnosed as COVID-19 cases after the surgery following
getting symptomatic or detection of abnormality in their laboratory
results. The valve surgery in one positive COVID-19 case was canceled
due to his abnormal laboratory finding and suspicion to COVID-19. The
patients’ clinical course and survival status were documented and
analyzed. Results: Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) was the most type
of surgery in both positive and negative COVID-19 groups. In-hospital
mortality was demonstrated in 6 (9.4%) and 10 (2.3%) patients in
positive and negative COVID-19 groups, respectively. CABG had been
performed in five COVID-19 deaths while one of the expired cases
underwent valve surgery. The median of white blood cell (WBC) count and
C-reactive protein (CRP) was higher and the percentage of lymphocyte was
lower in patients who expired. Conclusions: We recommend to postpone all
elective surgeries till the end of the crisis and limit the surgeries to
only emergency situations. In these cases, the patient should be
screened and get necessary medications if highly suspected. In
borderline surgical indications, especially in individuals with history
of contact to infection, we suggest to screen for COVID-19 before the
surgery and monitor the patients closely afterward. All health-care
staffs should use full personal protective equipment.