[Management of elective surgical activity in a tertiary hospital during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic]

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, elective surgical activity was reduced to a minimum. As both the number of cases and the hospitalization needs for this pathology decreased, we thought it appropriate to progressively recover scheduled surgical activity. This work describes how, even with the current alarm state, we were able to practically normalize this activity in a few weeks.

Two weeks before the intervention, the patients included in the waiting lists were contacted by telephone. After checking their health status and expressing their desire to undergo surgery, they were provided with recommendations to decrease the risk of coronavirus infection. Likewise, an exclusive circuit was established to carry out, 48 hours before the intervention, the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by means of exudates nasopharyngeal PCR. The results were evaluated by each surgical service and the anesthesiology service. In addition, asymptomatic Surgical Area professionals could undergo weekly screening for the early detection of coronavirus according to the recommendations of Occupational Health.

In the midst of a pandemic, scheduled surgical activity was reduced by 85%. From the week of April 13, the operating rooms available were recovered, which allowed practically all surgical activity to be recovered the week of May 25.

The creation of circuits and procedures to streamline surgical activity, still in full force of the state of alarm, has allowed us, in a few weeks, to recover almost all of it.