The Omicron strain, the new COVID-19 variant prevalent in China currently, was characterized by higher infectivity and stronger immune evasion than previous strains of COVID-19. Existing research evidence showed that Omicron causes serious disturbances to normal physiological functions and potentially increases the perioperative risk to surgical patients. Understanding the epidemiological characteristics and the influence of Omicron on physiological functions would help selecting the most appropriate timing of surgery, which could be critical to the surgical outcomes of these Omicron patients. Based on literature review and analyses, this article would offer some updated information regarding the epidemiological characteristics of Omicron infection and the impact of Omicron infection on physiological functions, and also offer some suggestions on the surgical management of Omicron patients.
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