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. 2021 Jul;31(7):3083-3089.
doi: 10.1007/s11695-021-05368-z. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Restarting Elective Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Under a Security Protocol During the COVID-19 Pandemic-a Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Marcio P M Balieiro  1   2   3 , Michel M da Silva  4 , Antônio C J Coelho  5 , Fernando de Barros  6   7 , Carlos Saboya  5   8 , Leonardo R Ferraz  9   5   10 , Mauricio E G Vieira  5 , Dyego Sá Benevenuto  5 , Luiz G de Oliveira E Silva  6 , Marcio Lucas  4 , Fernando Valente  5 , Fabio Viegas  5 , Fernando J Kaddoum  5 , Luciana J El-Kadre  7 , Fernanda Vaisman  11   12
Affiliations

Restarting Elective Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Under a Security Protocol During the COVID-19 Pandemic-a Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Marcio P M Balieiro et al. Obes Surg. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Background: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, in order to protect the patient and to save hospital beds, cancelation of elective surgeries has become a great challenge. Considering that obesity is a chronic disease and the possible effect imposed by quarantine on weight gain with worsening rates of obesity and metabolic comorbidities, the creation of a protocol for a safe return to bariatric surgery became essential.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of new-onset severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) symptoms in patients who underwent bariatric procedures during the declining curve period.

Setting: Private practice METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted and included patients with indications for bariatric surgery during the decreasing curve period of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic who underwent surgery under a hospital security protocol. Patients were asked to answer a questionnaire and had a swab PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 detection. The primary outcome measure was the presence of 14-day and 30-day postoperative symptoms associated with COVID-19. Mortality was also analyzed.

Results: Three hundred patients with negative RT-PCR were operated on from May to June 2020. Seventeen patients had their surgery postponed because of a positive RT-PCR test or close contact. None of the patients developed new-onset SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic infection after 30 days of observation. No deaths were reported. Eleven had complications not related to SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions: Even though this population may have a poorer outcome when infected with SARS-CoV-2, this security protocol has shown that the procedure can be safely performed during the outbreak.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; COVID-19; Obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Diagram of inclusion and testing for COVID-19
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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