Perioperative course of COVID-19 in pediatric patients undergoing emergency surgeries

Objective: Adults with COVID-19 infection undergoing surgery have an increased risk of complications and mortality. However, literature mentioning the perioperative course and outcome of children with COVID-19 infection undergoing emergency surgery is still lacking. Therefore, we planned this study...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Raksha Kundal, Ranju Singh, Vishal Kant, Maitree Pandey, Yogesh Kumar Sarin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2022-01-01
Series:Journal of Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jiaps.com/article.asp?issn=0971-9261;year=2022;volume=27;issue=5;spage=561;epage=564;aulast=Kundal
Description
Summary:Objective: Adults with COVID-19 infection undergoing surgery have an increased risk of complications and mortality. However, literature mentioning the perioperative course and outcome of children with COVID-19 infection undergoing emergency surgery is still lacking. Therefore, we planned this study to observe the need for postoperative ventilation, oxygen requirements, and postoperative mortality in pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection scheduled for emergency surgery. Methods: After ethical committee approval, all the COVID-19-infected pediatric patients who underwent an emergency surgery from April 2020 to May 2021 were included. Data collected included details of COVID-19 disease, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) grading, comorbidities, perioperative details such as tachycardia or bradycardia, any oxygen desaturation (SpO2<90), need for postoperative oxygen therapy, postoperative ventilation, and recovery/death. Results: A total of 22 COVID-19-infected pediatric patients underwent emergency surgery in the study period. Fourteen (63.6%) were asymptomatic at the time of admission. Nineteen patients (86.4%) belonged to ASA grade IE and three (13.6%) patients belonged to ASA grade III E. Three patients (13.6%) had comorbidities. Only one patient had hypotension and tachycardia intraoperatively. The same patient needed postoperative ventilation and succumbed. Conclusion: Our study shows that pediatric surgical patients with COVID-19 infection do not exhibit an increased need for oxygen or postoperative ventilation, postoperative pulmonary complications, or high mortality unless there is associated comorbidity.
ISSN:0971-9261
1998-3891