COVID-19 infection, a potential threat to surgical patients and staff? A retrospective cohort study

Hou, Jiabao; Wan, Xing; Shen, Qianni; Zhu, Jie; Leng, Yan; Zhao, Bo; Xia, Zhongyuan; He, Yuhong; Wu, Yang

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in surgical patients and medical staff. METHODS: A single-center case series of 1586 consecutive surgical patients was selected at our hospital from January 13 to March 12, 2020. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 were analyzed and followed up to May 20, 2020. The transmission of COVID-19 between the surgical patients and medical staff was also recorded. RESULTS: Seventeen (1.07%) surgical patients were diagnosed with COVID-19, with a high incidence in the thoracic department (9.37%), and the median age was 58 years (IQR, 53-73). The median time from hospital admission to COVID-19 diagnosis was 9.0 days (7.0-12.0) and was 6.0 days (4.0-7.0) from the day of surgery to COVID-19 diagnosis. Eleven (64.70%) patients suffered from pulmonary infection before surgery. When COVID-19 was diagnosed, common symptoms were fever (82.35%) and cough (94.12%), and most (82.35%) neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios were high (>3.5). Chest computed tomography (CT) (82.35%) showed bilateral dense shadows. Surgical patients with COVID-19 stayed in the hospital for approximately 35.0 days (25.5-43.0), with a mortality rate of 11.76%. Sixteen medical staff were infected with COVID-19 in the early stage. CONCLUSIONS: In this series of 1586 surgical patients, the COVID-19 infection rate was 1.07%, with an especially high incidence among patients with thoracic diseases. Middle-aged and elderly patients with preoperative pulmonary infection were more susceptible to COVID-19 infection after surgery. Medical staff were infected with COVID-19 and should take protective measures to protect themselves.