Asymptomatic patients with coronavirus disease and cardiac surgery: When should you operate?

Niknam, Jonathan; Rong, Lisa Q.

The coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic and the decision‐making process of whether to perform urgent procedures during a surge are issues that will likely not disappear in the near future as reflected by the current rise in COVID cases in the southern and western United States and the resurgent numbers of confirmed cases around that world leading to are leading to new lock‐downs. Multi‐disciplinary discussions will continue to be important to decide individual risk and benefit profiles for patients with asymptomatic COVID patients moving forward. While imperfect, this most recent study provides more insight to some of the risks that should be weighed in these discussions. Further prospective, longitudinal research and better understanding of the heterogeneity of the COVID positive patient will further enhance understanding the decision‐making process in the cardiac surgical patient through these difficult times.