Preoperative chest computed tomography in emergency surgery during COVID-19 pandemic.
J Perioper Pract
; : 17504589211024405, 2021 Aug 05.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1341440
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic challenges the recommendations for patients' preoperative assessment for preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 transmission and COVID-19-associated postoperative complications and morbidities.PURPOSE:
To evaluate the contribution of chest computed tomography for preoperatively assessing patients who are not suspected of being infected with COVID-19 at the time of referral.METHODS:
Candidates for emergency surgery screened via chest computed tomography from 8 to 27 April 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Computed tomography images were analysed for the presence of COVID-19-associated intrapulmonary changes. When applicable, laboratory and recorded clinical symptoms were extracted.RESULTS:
Eighty-eight patients underwent preoperative chest computed tomography; 24% were rated as moderately suspicious and 11% as highly suspicious on computed tomography. Subsequent reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed for seven patients, all of whom tested negative for COVID-19. Seven patients showed COVID-19-associated clinical symptoms, and most were classified as being mildly to moderately severe as per the clinical classification grading system. Only one case was severe. Four cases underwent RT-PCR with negative results.CONCLUSION:
In a cohort without clinical suspicion of COVID-19 infection upon referral, preoperative computed tomography during the COVID-19 pandemic can yield a high suspicion of infection, even if the patient lacks clinical symptoms and is RT-PCR-negative. No recommendations can be made based on our results but contribute to the debate.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Journal:
J Perioper Pract
Journal subject:
Nursing
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
17504589211024405
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