The Safety of Contemporary Planned Cancer Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has put an unprecedented burden on global healthcare, including detrimental implications for the volume and provision of surgical services. The aim of this audit was to assess if the planned surgical cancer care (both diagnostic for possible cancer, and treatment of known cancer) during this period of widespread community and hospital based COVID-19 infection resulted in patients acquiring symptomatic COVID-19 as a consequence of their surgical admission, and if so, what the impact on patients was. Methods: A prospective audit of all patients undergoing elective cancer surgery in Greater Manchester operated on between 01/05/2020 and 31/06/2020 was undertaken after the introduction of specific peri operative COVID safety measures across Greater Manchester cancer surgical cells. The COVID related outcomes for all cancer patients operated on in Greater Manchester were recorded. Results: Of the 1501 patients undergoing surgery, one (<0.1%) was diagnosed with COVID-19 in hospital within 14 days of surgery. This patient did not require admission to critical care due to post-operative COVID-19 diagnosis, and there was no associated mortality related to post-operative COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: The use of peri operative COVID-19 infection prevention strategies has allowed for the safe continuation of elective cancer surgery during this pandemic in all surgical units, without significant additional COVID-19 related morbidity or mortality.