Management of patients with suspected COVID-19 who underwent emergency surgery

Abstract

Background: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, no official guidelines for urgent surgical management of patients with the COVID-19 concern have been recommended. The current study provides our experience about the management for the patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 who required urgent surgical intervention.Methods: From February 5, 2019, to May 26, 2020, there were 5 cases of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection managed with urgent surgical intervention in two hospitals in Chongqing. Results: The five cases with COVID-19 concern were admitted with different diseases, including acute intussusception, strangulated inguinal indirect hernia, acute purulent appendicitis, femoral fracture and onset to delivery. Finally, four patients obtained negative results afterwards. One pregnant woman with confirmed COVID-19 infection underwent caesarean section. All medical staff involved in the patients management were well, and no in-hospital transmission occurredConclusion:Suspected COVID-19 patients must be managed as positive patients until proven or denied in order to minimize the spread and transmission of infection. The current protocol carried out in our practice might be plausible and technically feasible for hospitals when dealing with COVID-19 infection.