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Cardiac surgery practice during the COVID-19 outbreak: a multicentre national survey

Antonino Salvatore Rubino1, Luca Salvatore De Santo1, Antonio Pisano2

  • 1Department of Translational Medicine, Cardiac Surgery Unit, University of Campania, Luigi Vanvitelli, AORN dei Colli, Cardiac Surgery, Vincenzo Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy.

European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery : Official Journal of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery
|March 3, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced cardiac surgery volumes and elective procedures in Italy. Hospitals reallocated resources, impacting non-COVID-19 care and necessitating pandemic preparedness plans.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Public Health
  • Health Systems Management

Background:

  • The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely strained global healthcare systems.
  • Hospitals worldwide have adapted by modifying non-COVID-19 medical care and surgical activities.
  • Understanding the impact on cardiac surgery is crucial for managing healthcare during health emergencies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document the national-level changes in cardiac surgery practices in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • To assess the impact of the pandemic-induced health emergency on cardiac surgery operations and resources.

Main Methods:

  • A web-based survey with 26 questions was distributed to all adult cardiac surgery units across Italy.
  • Clinical practice changes during the national lockdown were assessed and compared to the same period in 2019.
  • Data on patient/personnel screening, resource allocation, and surgical volumes were collected.

Main Results:

  • Nearly all centers (94.9%) implemented screening protocols for patients and staff.
  • Significant reductions were observed in cardiac intensive care unit beds (-35.4%) and operating rooms (-29.2%).
  • Cardiac surgery volumes decreased substantially (1734 vs 3447 procedures), with a sharp decline in elective surgeries (33.4% vs 70.2%).

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated major adaptations in cardiac surgery practices nationwide.
  • This experience highlights the need for robust, system-based plans for future pandemics.
  • The findings can inform policy decisions regarding healthcare resource allocation during and after health emergencies.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19 pandemicCardiac surgeryHealthcare resourcesPrioritizationWaiting list

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