[Surgical complications in patients with COVID-19]. / Khirurgicheskie oslozhneniya u bol'nykh COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze in-hospital perioperative complications in COVID-19 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed medical records of 1.250 patients with COVID-19 for the period from April 2020 to December 2021. Mean age of patients was 62.8±2.1 years, length of hospital-stay - 44.3±3.7 days. All patients received therapy in accordance with the national guidelines on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)¼ (versions 1-12). Visualization of hematomas, arterial and venous thrombosis was performed using ultrasound, CT and CT angiography. RESULTS: Mortality rate was 1.5%. Surgical complications included various hematomas, arterial and venous thrombosis of great vessels. Hematomas were detected in 15 (1.2%) patients, 2 of them died. There were hematomas of extremities in 5 cases, retroperitoneal space - 4, soft tissues of the body - 4, internal organs (spleen) -2 patients. The volume of hematoma was up to 100 ml in 6 patients, 100-500 ml in 5 patients, 500-1000 ml in 3 patietns, more than 1000 ml in 1 patient. Hematomas occurred in 23.1±1.1 days after laboratory verification of COVID-19. Four (26.7%) patients underwent emergency surgery. Conservative therapy was followed by lysis of hematoma after 25.1±2.7 days. Venous thrombosis without signs of flotation occurred in 20 (1.6%) patients, arterial thrombosis - in 3 (0.24%) patients (2 ones required surgery). CONCLUSION: Management of COVID-19 patients with various hematomas should be as conservative as possible. Arterial thrombosis and extensive spleen hematomas requiring surgical treatment are features of COVID-19.

Diagnosis and Management of Postpartum Retroperitoneal Hematoma: A Report of 3 Cases.

BACKGROUND The retroperitoneal hematoma is a very rare entity in obstetrics. A type of obstetric hematoma that extends into the retroperitoneal space, this hematoma usually occurs after laceration of the uterine artery, after uterine rupture, or by extension of a vaginal hematoma. Although the hematoma usually manifests as intense abdominal pain, sometimes the clinical signs can go unnoticed. This is the main reason it is important to report the cases in which retroperitoneal hematomas occur. In addition to clinical suspicion, experience in management can also help improve maternal morbidity and mortality from this cause. CASE REPORT We present a series of 3 clinical cases in which retroperitoneal hematomas occurred after instrumental deliveries. The 3 clinical cases described took place before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first 2 deliveries, a vacuum was used, while in the third delivery, spatulas were used. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed that suspicion is essential in patients with symptoms of nonspecific pain, as well as in patients with anemia that causes hemodynamic instability in the immediate postpartum period. The use of early computed tomography angiography in hemodynamically stable patients is essential to reach a diagnosis and to determine if the patient can be treated by embolization of the bleeding vessel.

Spontaneous large liver haematoma with extensive intraperitoneal bleeding in a patient with COVID-19 infection.

Thrombotic complications during COVID-19 infections occur frequently, and anticoagulants to prevent and treat deep vein thrombosis appear to have a good safety profile in these patients. In addition, haemorrhagic complications during COVID-19 infections have also been reported. Hepatic inflammation can occur in COVID-19 infections as a direct consequence of cellular infection and cytopathy. Spontaneous subcapsular hepatic haematoma is extremely rare and can be life-threatening.A woman in her 40s presented to the hospital with fever and shortness of breath and was diagnosed with COVID-19 infection with respiratory failure requiring intubation. On day 49 of hospitalisation, she developed melena and acute anaemia; her haemoglobin dropped from 97g/L (9.7g/dL) to 56g/L (5.6g/dL). Abdominal and pelvic CT scans showed a large subcapsular liver haematoma with retroperitoneal extension. The patient received blood transfusions and remained haemodynamically stable. She was eventually extubated and discharged home.

Spontaneous Retroperitoneal Hematoma Treated with Percutaneous Transarterial Embolization in COVID-19 Era: Diagnostic Findings and Procedural Outcome.

(1) Background: Spontaneous retroperitoneal hematomas are a relatively common occurrence in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 related pneumonia, and endovascular treatment of trans-arterial embolization (TAE) may be a life-saving procedure after failure of medical and supportive therapy. The aim of our study was to evaluate spontaneous retroperitoneal hematomas in the COVID-19 era, focusing on their imaging features at CTA and DSA and on the safety, as well as technical and clinical success, of TAE, comparing patients affected by COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. (2) Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 24 patients with spontaneous retroperitoneal hematoma who underwent TAE; of these, 10 were hospitalized for COVID-19-related pneumonia, while the other 14 were without COVID-19 infection. We evaluated the demographic data, hemoglobin values before and after the procedure, preprocedural aPTT, preprocedural INR, diagnostic and interventional imaging findings, procedural outcome (technical success) and survival periprocedural (clinical success), and major and minor complications. (3) Results: The mean age of the study population was 72.7 ± 11.2 years. CTA revealed signs of active bleeding in 20 patients (83%). DSA showed signs of active bleeding in 20 patients (83%). In four patients (17%), blind embolization was performed. The overall technical success rate was 100%. Clinical success was achieved in 17 patients (71%), while seven patients (29%) rebled within 96 h, and all of them were retreated. No major periprocedural complication was reported. The comparison between the two groups did not show statistically significant differences for gender, mean age, mean pre- and postprocedural hemoglobin, aPTT and INR, mean hematoma volume (cm3), or mean delay between CT and DSA. Active bleeding at CTA was detected in 90% of COVID-19 patients and 79% of non-COVID-19 patients (p = 0.61). At DSA, active bleeding was assessed in eight out of 10 (80%) patients in the COVID-19 group and 12 out of 14 (86%) patients in the non-COVID-19 group (p = 1). Technical success was obtained in 100% of patients in both groups. Clinical success rates were 70% for COVID-19 group and 71% for the non-COVID-19 group. We found no statistical significance between the clinical success rates of retroperitoneal spontaneous hematoma embolization in patients with or without SARS-CoV-2 infection. (4) Conclusions: We suggest that, similar to what has been reported in other studies in non-COVID-19 patients, TAE should be considered an important safe, effective, and potentially life-saving option for the management and the treatment of patients affected by COVID-19 who present with spontaneous retroperitoneal hematoma and who could not benefit from conservative treatment.

Spontaneous Haematomas in Anticoagulated Covid-19 Patients: Diagnosis and Treatment by Embolization.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and efficacy of embolization for spontaneous bleeding in anticoagulated patients with COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Single center retrospective study in 9 patients with COVID-19 who experienced bleeding complications following anticoagulation. The study included 8 men and 1 woman aged from 48 to 80 years (mean 69.7 years), who had a total of 10 soft tissue haematomas: 1 in the thigh, 1 in the anterior abdominal wall, 6 retroperitoneal and 2 thoracic haematomas. All patients were referenced for vascular embolization, mostly with Onyx-18. RESULTS: A total of 10 haematomas were embolized in 9 patients. Technical success was achieved in all patients. No complications or adverse events were noted. One patient required percutaneous drainage of an infected haematoma 88 days after embolization. The mean hemoglobin level before embolization was 8,64 mg/dL and increased to 9,08 mg/dL after embolization (p = 0,3). After embolization all patients recovered haemodynamic stability and blood pressure levels improved. Seven patients resumed anticoagulation therapy after embolization. There were no recurrences or new bleedings in all treated patients. No patients required any additional invasive therapies or surgery. Mean intensive unit care and hospital stay was 6.7 and 35.2 days, respectively. All patients were discharged and were well at follow-up clinic visits 2-7 months after embolization. Seven patients performed a control CT scan 1-6 months after embolization, showing complete resolution of the haematoma. CONCLUSION: Embolization is safe and effective to treat spontaneous haematomas in anticoagulated patients with COVID-19, allowing to resume anticoagulation therapy. Level of evidence IV Level 4, case-series.

Delays in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Management Is Associated with Hematoma Expansion and Worse Outcomes: Changes in COVID-19 Era.

PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the emergency medical care system worldwide. We analyzed the changes in the management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and compared the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 eras. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March to October of the COVID-19 era (2020), 83 consecutive patients with ICH were admitted to four comprehensive stroke centers. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients and compared the treatment workflow metrics, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes with the patients admitted during the same period of pre-COVID-19 era (2017-2019). RESULTS: Three hundred thirty-eight patients (83 in COVID-19 era and 255 in pre-COVID-19 era) were included in this study. Symptom onset/detection-to-door time [COVID-19; 56.0 min (34.0-106.0), pre-COVID-19; 40.0 min (27.0-98.0), p=0.016] and median door to-intensive treatment time differed between the two groups [COVID-19; 349.0 min (177.0-560.0), pre-COVID-19; 184.0 min (134.0-271.0), p<0.001]. Hematoma expansion was detected more significantly in the COVID-19 era (39.8% vs. 22.1%, p=0.002). At 3-month follow-up, clinical outcomes of patients were worse in the COVID-19 era (Good modified Rankin Scale; 33.7% in COVID19, 46.7% in pre-COVID-19, p=0.039). CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 era, delays in management of ICH was associated with hematoma expansion and worse outcomes.

Contribution of Interventional Radiologist in the Management of Pseudoaneurysm and Neck Hemorrhages in COVID-19 patients.

Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may have endothelial inflammation, pseudoaneurysm, and an increasing risk of bleeding, especially during surgical procedures. In this article, we reported 2 cases of COVID-19 patients with neck vascular lesions. The first patient had pseudoaneurysm of the cricothyroid artery, which was treated by percutaneous glue injection through ultrasonography guidance. The second patient presented lateral neck hematoma in front of the left superior thyroid artery, which was managed by coil endovascular embolization. In the context of pandemic, the management of vascular lesions may be performed through interventional radiological procedures that may reduce the risk of virus aerosolization and health care provider contamination.

Successful management of COVID-19 and associated coagulopathy in a patient with durable left ventricular assist device.

Patients with durable left ventricular assist devices pose special problems for management in the setting of COVID-19 infection. We describe the successful management of a 44-year-old man with severe COVID-19 infection and HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device. His course was complicated by cytokine storm and COVID-19-associated coagulopathy. We describe our institutional protocol for managing COVID-19 infection in patients on mechanical circulatory support, focusing on the need for a thoughtful, multidisciplinary approach.