AUTHOR=Clancy Paul W. , Knio Ziyad O. , Zuo Zhiyi 

TITLE=Positive SARS-CoV-2 detection on intraoperative nasopharyngeal viral testing is not associated with worse outcomes for asymptomatic elective surgical patients

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.1065625

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2022.1065625

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>It has been demonstrated that surgical patients with COVID-19 are at increased risk for postoperative complications. However, this association has not been tested in asymptomatic elective surgical patients.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A retrospective cohort study among elective gynecological and spine surgery patients at a single tertiary medical center from July 2020 through April 2022 (<italic>n</italic> = 1,130) was performed. The primary endpoint was prolonged (&gt;75th percentile for the corresponding surgical service) length of stay. Secondary endpoints included postoperative respiratory complications, duration of supplemental oxygen therapy, and other major adverse events. The association between SARS-CoV-2 detection and the above outcomes was investigated with univariate and multivariable analyses.</p></sec><sec><title>Findings</title><p>Of 1,130 patients who met inclusion criteria, 30 (2.7%) experienced intraoperative detection of SARS-CoV-2. Those with intraoperative viral detection did not experience an increased incidence of prolonged length of stay [16.7% vs. 23.2%; RR, 0.72 (95% CI, 0.32–1.61); <italic>P</italic> = 0.531] nor did they have a longer mean length of stay (4.1 vs. 3.9 days; <italic>P</italic> = 0.441). Rates of respiratory complications [3.3% vs. 2.9%; RR, 1.15 (95% CI, 0.16–8.11); <italic>P</italic> = 0.594] and mean duration of supplemental oxygen therapy (9.7 vs. 9.3 h; <italic>P</italic> = 0.552) were similar as well. All other outcomes were similar in those with and without intraoperative detection of SARS-CoV-2 (all <italic>P</italic> &gt; 0.05).</p></sec><sec><title>Interpretation</title><p>Asymptomatic patients with incidental detection of SARS-CoV-2 on intraoperative testing do not experience disproportionately worse outcomes in the elective spine and gynecologic surgical population.</p></sec>