COVID-19 patients who undergo any form of surgery have a "higher than expected" chance of lung-related complications and death according to a recent study.
Researchers from Western University participated in the new global study, which found that the 30-day mortality rate for COVID-19 patients who underwent surgery was almost one in four (23.8 per cent). The study also found that 51 per cent of patients developed pulmonary complications within 30 days after surgery.
“As elective surgeries begin to resume here and elsewhere around the globe, this study will help to guide decision-making for surgery. We now understand the risk of mortality by age, and sex, as well as emergency versus elective status,” said Western University Associate Professor Janet Martin, who participated in the study. “Our goal is to achieve optimal patient outcomes. For the first time, we have data from a large study to inform when the benefits from surgery outweigh the risks in patients who may also have COVID-19. This is timely given our need to re-open elective surgery safely during a global pandemic.”
Even when examining the different subgroups of surgeries, such as elective (18.9 per cent), emergency (25.6 per cent), minor (16.3 per cent), and major (26.9 per cent), researchers found patients also have a high chance of dying within 30 days of a procedure.
As well, mortality rates for men following surgery are higher than women. Patients aged 70 years are also more likely to die from complications following surgery compared to those who are younger. Those who have severe pre-existing medical problems, those who are undergoing cancer surgery, those undergoing major procedures, and those undergoing emergency surgery are also at a much greater risk.
The results of the study were generated from data gathered for 1,128 patients from 235 hospitals in 24 countries, including Europe Africa, Asia, and North America.
