PLoS ONE (Jan 2023)

Patients' characteristics and 30-day mortality for those undergoing elective surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.

  • Shakera Ahmed,
  • Anwarul Karim,
  • Tanvir Kabir Chowdhury,
  • Orindom Shing Pulock,
  • Nowrin Tamanna,
  • Mastura Akter,
  • Puja Biswas,
  • Fahmida Afroz,
  • Susmita Dey Pinky,
  • Anika Nahrin Alabbi,
  • Tasnuba Raisa Jamil,
  • Zarin Tasnim,
  • Dipa Dev,
  • Mraching Marma,
  • Tasmiah Tahera Aziz,
  • Hafiz Ahmed Nazmul Hakim,
  • A K M Khairul Basher,
  • Nur Hossain Bhuiyan Shahin,
  • Tahmina Banu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289878
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 8
p. e0289878

Abstract

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BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the surgical practice throughout the world, including elective surgical care. This study investigated the characteristics of patients undergoing elective surgery, the prevalence of COVID-19 infection, the surgical procedures performed, and 30-day mortality in general and pediatric surgical settings in selected tertiary-level hospitals in Bangladesh from November 2020 to August 2021.MethodsThis serial cross-sectional study included 264 patients scheduled for elective surgeries during the study period. All patients underwent COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing within 24 hours before surgery. Data on age, sex, common comorbidities, surgical procedures, and 30-day mortality were collected and analyzed. Furthermore, comparisons were made between COVID-19 positive and negative patients.ResultsThe prevalence of COVID-19 infection among patients was 10.6%. Older age, a history of major surgery within the last three months, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with COVID-19 infection. All COVID-19-negative patients underwent surgery, while only 46.4% of COVID-19-positive patients underwent surgery. The most common surgical procedures were related to the digestive system, breast, and urinary system. Only one patient (0.4%) died within 30 days after surgery among the COVID-19-negative patients, whereas two patients (7.1%) died among the COVID-19-positive patients: one before surgery and one after surgery.ConclusionsThis study provides valuable insights into the characteristics, burden of COVID-19 infection, and 30-day mortality of patients undergoing elective surgery in tertiary care centers in Bangladesh during the pandemic.