Laparoscopic surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: detection of SARS-COV-2 in abdominal tissues, fluids, and surgical smoke.

BACKGROUND: There are still concerns over the safety of laparoscopic surgery in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients due to the potential risk of viral transmission through surgical smoke/laparoscopic pneumoperitoneum. METHODS: We performed a systematic review of currently available literature to determine the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) in abdominal tissues or fluids and in surgical smoke. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies (15 case reports and 4 case series) comprising 29 COVID-19 patients were included. The viral RNA was positively identified in 11 patients (37.9%). The samples that tested positive include the peritoneal fluid, bile, ascitic fluid, peritoneal dialysate, duodenal wall, and appendix. Similar samples, together with the omentum and abdominal subcutaneous fat, tested negative in the other patients. Only one study investigated SARS-COV-2 RNA in surgical smoke generated during laparoscopy, reporting negative findings. CONCLUSIONS: There are conflicting results regarding the presence of SARS-COV-2 in abdominal tissues and fluids. No currently available evidence supports the hypothesis that SARS-COV-2 can be aerosolized and transmitted through surgical smoke. Larger studies are urgently needed to corroborate these findings.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) set to increase burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Kenya.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first reported in Kenya on March 13, 2020, is spreading rapidly. As of 30th June 2020, over 6,190 cases had been reported with a case fatality of 3.2%. Previous Coronavirus outbreaks have been associated with a significant burden of Cardiovascular disease. For COVID-19, however, there has been no direct reference to potential long-term cardiovascular effects, especially in Africa where atherosclerotic diseases are an emerging challenge. This article, therefore, aims at describing possible long-term effects on the burden of atherosclerotic disease among Kenyans. Available data indicate that COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease share pathomechanisms and risk factors which include ACE2 receptor invasion and renin-angiotensin system signaling, oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. Further, SAR-COV-2 infection causes dyslipidemia, dysglycemia, kidney, and liver disease. These mechanisms and diseases constitute risk factors for the initiation, progression, and complications of atherosclerosis. In Kenya, the common risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and COVID-19 comprising Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Obesity, Cigarette Smoking, Respiratory Tract Infections, Pulmonary Thromboembolism, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Renal disease are not uncommon and continue to increase. In essence, the prevalence of the common risk factors/comorbidities, between COVID-19 and CVD occurrence of ACE2 receptors on the endothelium, and hence pathomechanisms of SARS-COV-2 infection imply that COVID-19 may increase the burden of atherosclerotic disease in Kenya. All due care should be taken, to prevent and effectively manage the disease, to avert an imminent epidemic of atherosclerotic disease.