COVID-19 Surgery Minimization Guidance
Summary of Guidance for Minimizing the Impact of COVID-19 during Surgery is intended to provide physicians with information on the role of SARS-CoV-2 in the perioperative period. It includes information on PCR testing, symptoms and signs of infection that may occur during or after surgery, as well as perioperative care and prevention of admission for incubating patients.
Symptoms and signs that develop during or after surgery
The symptoms and signs that develop during or after surgery can be scary, but they’re not always serious. However, you should be aware of them so you can get treatment as soon as possible. If you experience any of these signs, contact your doctor immediately.
Nausea is a common postoperative symptom. It can be caused by your body’s reaction to the surgery or by pain medication. When you feel nauseous, you should eat bland foods and drink lots of water. You may need to take an anti-emetic.
You may experience a fever after surgery. This is a sign of an infection. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection.
Dry heaving is another postoperative symptom. It can happen up to three hours after you eat. To prevent it, you should stick to bland food and avoid perfumes.
Shivering is another common symptom. Up to half of people experience shivering and chills after they become conscious after surgery. These are usually caused by your body’s temperature.
Prevent admission of patients who are incubating SARS-CoV-2
Patients who are incubating SARS-CoV-2 during surgery have a higher risk of morbidity and mortality than those who are asymptomatic. In addition, patients who undergo surgery within seven weeks of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 are at increased risk of infection and mortality. This issue is becoming increasingly important as the population of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals continues to grow.
Identifying a reliable timeframe for admission of patients who are incubating SARS-CoV-2 is a critical step in preventing the spread of the disease. A number of factors are involved in this decision. These factors include the patient’s symptom status, the complexity of the operation, and the risk of disease progression. The consensus statement provides guidance for shared decision making, based on current evidence. It aims to highlight key principles in the timing of surgery.
Symptomatic patients must receive a negative viral assay result before elective surgery. Alternatively, they may be treated with home isolation. However, in asymptomatic patients, routine screening for SARS-CoV-2 is not recommended.
PCR testing for COVID-19
If you’re a health care provider, you may have heard about the COVID-19 virus. This is a highly contagious virus, and can cause perioperative morbidity and mortality.
In order to keep your patients safe, you will need to perform pre-surgical testing. This testing is important because it will help you detect active infections. You will need to understand the different types of tests that are available to you, and you will need to know when it is appropriate to use them.
The CDC has recommended that you wait at least 10 days before providing care to a patient who is positive for the COVID-19 virus. If you’re planning to provide care to a patient who has a positive test, you need to discuss the risks with them.
Testing for the COVID-19 virus is useful because it can pick up active infections that might have been missed by other tests. You should wear eye protection and use a surgical mask, but you should also take precautions to protect others.
Peri-operative care for patients with SARS-CoV-2
SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality. In addition, patients with SARS-CoV-2 represent a risk to the surgical team and other patients. Therefore, effective perioperative care requires a balanced preoperative multidisciplinary risk-benefit evaluation.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) unit on Global Surgery investigated perioperative care of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. They conducted a multicenter study, which involved 70 hospitals in 27 states. A total of 701 patients underwent surgery at one of the institutions. Patients’ age ranged from 17 to 51 years. Some of the surgeries included coloproctological surgery, oncological procedures, and esophagogastric surgery.
Patients who are at high risk should undergo precautionary measures to prevent infection. This includes the use of personal protective measures such as respiratory protective devices, a nasal swab, and social distancing during the two weeks prior to surgery.
To reduce the risk of infection, the surgical team should weigh the patient’s clinical condition against vaccination status and baseline risk. In addition, they should discuss the risks and benefits of postponing surgery.