The feasibility and safety of routine thoracic surgeries in the low risk areas during the COVID-19 pandemic

Wang, Yiyang; Zhang, Yonghui; Bao, Feichao; Hao, Xiuxiu; Yu, Fenghao; Lin, Boyu; Gu, Zhitao; Fang, Wentao

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been under good control and work resumption has been gradually carried out in most parts of China including Shanghai after March 2020. However, intense focus and resources have been diverted to COVID-19 patients, leaving patients with diseases other than COVID-19 somehow neglected due to limited access to routine health care. And whether routine thoracic surgery service is safe in low risk areas of COVID-19 infection is still unknown. We hereby retrospectively analyzed the quantity and quality of thoracic surgeries performed by a single team from Shanghai Chest Hospital between January and May 2020, compared with the corresponding period last year. Results suggested that comparable qualities of diagnosis and surgical treatment as well as perioperative outcomes were safely and successfully achieved. Total number of surgical procedures gradually increased and surpassed the corresponding period last year when the situation of COVID-19 has been in good control in Shanghai by April. Importantly, neither medical staffs nor patients were diagnosed of COVID-19 infection. In conclusion, although COVID-19 has made significant impact on elective surgery for thoracic diseases, it is safe and feasible to carry out routine thoracic surgery services in low risk areas, provided that careful screening of COVID and thorough protection of medical staffs and patients are taken. Hopefully, these findings would serve as a useful reference for thoracic departments all over the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially after work resumption.