ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to discuss the different challenges faced while managing emergency vascular surgery cases during the COVID-19 pandemic and how these challenges were overcome. METHODS: This study details 14 emergency cases that were managed during a period of one month from mid-March to mid-April at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman. The cases included acute limb ischaemia, critical limb ischaemia, type B dissection of the thoracic aorta, thoraco-abdominal aneurysm, critical internal carotid artery stenosis, trauma, infected arteriovenous forearm loop graft and thrombosed arteriovenous fistulas. RESULTS: Only one patient was confirmed to have COVID-19. Five were negative for COVID-19 while the remaining eight were not tested. Various strategies on how the vascular surgical team accommodated changes in hospital protocols and nationwide lockdown are discussed in detail. CONCLUSIONS: With the judicious use of personal protective equipment and consumable surgical and endovascular devices, communication with support services and other hospitals and implementation of triage protocols, it was possible to manage vascular surgery emergencies effectively.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/diagnosis , Emergencies , Referral and Consultation , Vascular Diseases/therapy , Vascular Surgical Procedures/methods , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Amputation, Surgical/methods , Aortic Dissection/therapy , Angioplasty/methods , Aortic Aneurysm/therapy , Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical , COVID-19/complications , Carotid Stenosis/therapy , Disease Management , Embolectomy/methods , Female , Graft Occlusion, Vascular/complications , Graft Occlusion, Vascular/therapy , Humans , Ischemia/therapy , Lower Extremity , Male , Middle Aged , Oman , SARS-CoV-2 , Tertiary Care Centers , Upper ExtremityABSTRACT
Literature has been published stating that thrombosis is occurring at higher rates in patients who are positive for COVID-19. This experience is more with limb ischemia. Reports of mesenteric ischemia are coming in from different parts of the globe. We share our early experience of managing two patients with acute mesenteric ischemia.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/complications , Fibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use , Mesenteric Ischemia/etiology , Computed Tomography Angiography , Fatal Outcome , Humans , Male , Mesenteric Ischemia/diagnostic imaging , Mesenteric Ischemia/drug therapy , Mesenteric Ischemia/surgery , Middle Aged , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to move at record speed. Health systems and hospitals worldwide face unprecedented challenges to effectively prepare and respond to this extraordinary health crisis and anticipated surge. Hospitals should confront these unparalleled challenges with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, coordinated, and organized strategy. We report our experience with the systematic application of the "4S" principle to guide our institutional preparedness plan for COVID-19. We used an innovative "virtual interdisciplinary COVID-19 team" approach to consolidate our hospital readiness.