COVID-19 pandemic implications in paediatric and congenital heart surgery in Brazil

Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the congenital heart surgery service in Lithuania

INTRODUCTION

CHD is a unique group of medical pathologies. Literature worldwide reports significant decrements in the case volume of patients with these conditions due to the recent global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019. The only centre providing congenital cardiac care for Lithuanian population is in a hospital which was the main medical institution for the sickest coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Hence, this centre had to maintain its service alongside the mobilisation of resources to tackle the crisis.

AIM OF STUDY

To evaluate the effect of the pandemic on the service of congenital heart surgery in Lithuania.

METHODS

The activity of a single centre providing congenital heart care working in a main coronavirus 2019 pandemic hospital during the pandemic was analysed and compared to a matched period of pre-pandemic activity.

RESULTS

The number of admitted patients was similar during both pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. During the pandemic period, younger patients were more often operated as urgent cases. Their postoperative length of stay was longer. However, there were no differences in early postoperative mortality between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

It was possible to maintain an accessible and high-quality specialised congenital cardiac care for various age patients during global pandemic events, while working in the main pandemic hospital.

COVID-19 and Mortality in the Global Surgical Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

To date, no systematic review or meta-analysis has comprehensively estimated the risk of mortality by surgery type on an international scale. We aim to delineate the risk of mortality in patients with COVID-19 who undergo surgery.

METHODS

PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, OVID, the World Health Organization Global Literature on Coronavirus Disease, and Corona-Central databases were searched from December 2019 through January 2022. Studies providing data on mortality in patients undergoing surgery were included. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines for abstracting data were followed and performed independently by two reviewers. The main outcome was mortality in patients with COVID-19.

RESULTS

Of a total of 4023 studies identified, 46 studies with 80,015 patients met our inclusion criteria. The mean age was 67 y; 57% were male. Surgery types included general (14.9%), orthopedic (23.4%), vascular (6.4%), thoracic (10.6%), and urologic (8.5%). Patients undergoing surgery with COVID-19 elicited a nine-fold increased risk of mortality (relative risk [RR] 8.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.96-16.32) over those without COVID-19. In low-income and middle-income countries (RR: 16.04, 95% CI: 4.59-56.12), the mortality risk was twice as high compared to high-income countries (RR: 7.50, 95% CI: 4.30-13.09).

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality risk in surgical patients with COVID-19 compared to those without is increased almost 10-fold. The risk was highest in low-income and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries, suggesting a disproportionate effect of the pandemic on resource-constrained regions.

Challenges in congenital heart disease in the Amazon region countries: A scoping review

Introduction

This study aimed to systematically analyze and describe the main challenges of congenital heart diseases (CHDs) in the countries in the Amazon region.

Methods

The methodology followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist utilizing the Medline, Embase, Lilacs, and Google Scholar databases. The inclusion criteria were articles addressing any topic involving CHD in the Amazon region. Incomplete articles, book chapters, lectures, conference abstracts, and editorials were excluded.

Results

Nine studies were identified, 7 of which were published in the last decade and were of Colombian and Brazilian origin. The methodology of the studies was cross-sectional and ecological, evaluating the regional and epidemiological factors, challenges to diagnosis and treatment, multidisciplinary team challenges, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies carried out by surgeons demonstrate more existing data regarding the challenges of the health-care system.

Conclusions

There is growing interest in analyzing the situation of CHD in the region. However, only a few studies are available, mostly on ecological and cross-sectional analysis. These records show the lack of hospital infrastructure and multidisciplinary teams for the diagnosis and treatment of CHD in the Amazon region; we see an initiative by specialists from two countries (Colombia and Brazil) to demonstrate the difficulties by seeking international training programs and government aid to improve the health system situation.

A Lung ultrasound-based comparison of postoperative respiratory outcome after pediatric congenital heart surgery in COVID-19 recovered and COVID-19 unaffected children-a pilot study

Background

COVID-19 is known to affect the alveolar-capillary membrane and interstitial tissue. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is proven to cause "pump-lung" syndrome. Little is known about the subgroup of COVID-19-recovered children undergoing cardiac surgeries under CPB.

Aim

To compare the lung ultrasound score (LUSS) and morbidity of COVID-19-recovered children to those without COVID-19 after congenital cardiac surgery.

Setting and Design

Prospective observational pilot study at a tertiary care institution.

Materials and Methods

The study was carried out on 15 COVID-recovered children and 15 matched controls (Group B) posted for congenital cardiac surgery. COVID-recovered children were further divided into those who received in-hospital care for COVID (Group C) and those who did not (Group A). LUSS measured immediately after cardiac surgery was compared between the groups. PaO2/FiO2 ratio, incidence of pulmonary infection, re-intubation rate, duration of ventilation, in-hospital mortality, and 30-day mortality were also compared between the groups.

Results

LUSS was comparable between Groups A and B (mean difference = 1.467, P = 0.721). Compared to the control group, Group C showed higher LUSS (mean difference = 11.67, P < 0.001), lower PaO2/FiO2 ratio (207.8 ± 95.49 Vs 357.6 ± 63.82, P = 0.003), and one in-hospital mortality. A significant negative correlation was seen between LUSS and PaO2/FiO2 ratio (rs = -0.75, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

LUSS was not higher in COVID-recovered children. Children with a history of severe COVID-19 recorded higher LUSS, in-hospital mortality, duration of ICU stay, and duration of ventilation.