[Systematic preoperative SARS-CoV-2 screening by chest CT before urological surgery].

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Infectious Diseases
• Radiology

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic necessitated limiting non-emergency surgical care.
• Belgian Association of Urology recommended reduced elective procedures.
• Need to assess preoperative screening for COVID-19 in urological surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate the impact of preoperative COVID-19 screening on surgical outcomes.
• Determine if chest CT screening is effective in identifying COVID-19 positive patients for urological surgery.
• Assess the feasibility and efficacy of systematic preoperative screening.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 32 patients undergoing high-risk oncologic and emergency urological surgeries.
• Screening protocol included clinical assessment and chest CT scans.
• Study period: March 30 to April 30, 2020, in a Belgian tertiary center.

Main Results:

• Three COVID-19 cases (9%) identified via chest CT, leading to two postponed surgeries.
• One COVID-19 positive patient died from respiratory complications post-urgent surgery.
• Two patients developed post-operative symptoms, one with a positive chest CT but negative RT-PCR, both recovered.

Conclusions:

• Systematic preoperative COVID-19 screening by chest CT is feasible and effective.
• This strategy enables safe performance of high-risk oncologic urological surgeries.
• Ensures safety for both patients and surgical staff during the pandemic.