Does the COVID-19 Screening Test Affect the Postoperative Prognosis of Patients Who Undergo Emergency Surgery for...

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated mandatory preoperative screening tests.
• These screening protocols potentially increased patient admission to operating room times.
• This delay may have impacted patient prognosis in neurosurgical procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the influence of COVID-19 screening time on postoperative prognosis in patients undergoing emergency neurosurgery.
• To compare outcomes between patients screened during the pandemic and a pre-pandemic control group.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 54 patients with cerebral hemorrhage undergoing emergency surgery post-COVID-19 screening.
• Comparison with 89 control patients who underwent surgery before the pandemic.
• Prognosis assessment using Glasgow Coma Scale and modified Rankin Scale (mRS), including unfavorable outcomes (mRS 3-6) and in-hospital mortality.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in the time to surgical intervention between the screened group and the control group.
• Prognostic evaluation scores (Glasgow Coma Scale, mRS) showed no remarkable differences between the two groups.
• In-hospital mortality and unfavorable outcomes were comparable across both patient cohorts.

Conclusions:

• Additional preoperative COVID-19 screening times did not significantly affect patient treatment or prognosis in emergency neurosurgery.
• Findings suggest that established screening protocols can be integrated into emergency neurosurgical workflows without compromising patient outcomes.
• Results provide valuable insights for managing emergency neurosurgery during public health crises.