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Published on: September 19, 2018
Managing Emergent Surgery for Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Zilun Li1, Ming Qi2, Gang Zhao3
1Division of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Insights
Managing ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) during the COVID-19 pandemic is feasible. A perioperative workflow and infection control strategy ensured effective treatment outcomes for rAAA patients.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges for managing vascular emergencies like ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA).
- Ensuring uncompromised treatment for rAAA during a global health crisis is crucial.
- This study evaluates rAAA treatment outcomes and infection prevention strategies during the pandemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a perioperative workflow for rAAA management during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To evaluate infection prevention measures for healthcare providers and patients undergoing rAAA surgery.
- To compare treatment outcomes of rAAA before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of rAAA cases treated in 11 vascular centers from January to March 2020.
- Comparison of data with the same period in 2018 and 2019.
- Implementation of a perioperative workflow including expedited coronavirus testing and cross-infection prevention strategies.
Main Results:
- Patient numbers for rAAA increased from 2018 to 2020, with a higher proportion treated locally.
- Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) was the primary strategy in 2020 (85.7%), similar to previous years.
- Surgical outcomes were not inferior to pre-pandemic levels, with reduced ICU stay and significantly lower in-hospital mortality (14.3% in 2020 vs. 37.5% in 2018).
Conclusions:
- The implemented perioperative workflow and infection prevention strategies were effective for managing rAAA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Emergent surgical outcomes for rAAA were optimized.
- The approach ensured the safety of healthcare providers and patients.
Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic which may compromise the management of vascular emergencies. An uncompromised treatment for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) during such a health crisis represents a challenge. This study aimed to demonstrate the treatment outcomes of rAAA and the perioperative prevention of cross-infection under the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods:
In cases of rAAA during the pandemic, a perioperative workflow was applied to expedite coronavirus testing and avoid pre-operative delay, combined with a strategy for preventing cross-infection. Data of rAAA treated in 11 vascular centers between January-March 2020 collected retrospectively were compared to the corresponding period in 2018 and 2019.
Results:
Eight, 12, and 14 rAAA patients were treated in 11 centers in January-March 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. An increased portion were treated at local hospitals with a comparable outcome compared with large centers in Guangzhou. With EVAR-first strategy, 85.7% patients with rAAA in 2020 underwent endovascular repair, similar to that in 2018 and 2019. The surgical outcomes during the pandemic were not inferior to that in 2018 and 2019. The average length of ICU stay was 1.8 ± 3.4 days in 2020, tending to be shorter than that in 2018 and 2019, whereas the length of hospital stay was similar among 3 years. The in-hospital mortality of 2018, 2019, and 2020 was 37.5%, 25.0%, and 14.3%, respectively. Three patients undergoing emergent surgeries were suspected of COVID-19, though turned out to be negative after surgery.
Conclusions:
Our experience for emergency management of rAAA and infection prevention for healthcare providers is effective in optimizing emergent surgical outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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