Elective Colorectal Cancer Resections during the First Covid-19 Wave, Experience in Chesterfield Royal Hospital

ABSTRACT

Aim: The SARS-Cov- 2 pandemic has been undoubtedly overwhelming for elective colorectal cancer resections. However, early establishment of a green pathway has enabled our trust to operate in a clean, covid-19 free environment and this project aims to demonstrate this pathway. Method(s) Elective colorectal cancer resections have been included in this cohort from January until July 2020. Emergency and benign resections have been excluded from this study. The main procedures that have been performed were laparoscopic right hemicolectomies and high anterior resections. Complication rate was classified using the Clavien-Dindo scale. Patients from March 2020 onwards were operated and nursed post-operatively on a green covid-19 pathway. Result(s) A total of 62 patients were included in this study. Resections were mainly performed laparoscopically (85%) and these were mainly right hemicolectomies (41%) and high anterior resections (31%). There has been a single Covid19 positive resection and that was before the pathway has been established. The median length of stay was 5 days for all resections. The main post-operative complication was ileus and there were no anastomotic leaks. Conclusion(s) Elective colorectal resections during a respiratory pandemic are safe and feasible with appropriately established pathways.