ABSTRACT
Purpose: We examined the effect of COVID-19 on diseases treated with hepato- biliary- pancreatic surgery from the experience of nosocomial infection at our hospital. Method(s): We examined the treatment of 106 patients admitted by the Division of Hepato- Biliary- Pancreatic Surgery to The Jikei University Hospital for elective surgery from January through May 2020. Result(s): Of the 106 operations, 90 (85%) were performed as scheduled and did not include COVID-19-positive patients. Operations for 16 patients (15%) were postponed, but 5 (31%) of these operations were urgent or quasiurgent and were performed during the study period. Of 95 patients who underwent surgery, 50 (53%) had a malignant tumor, 3 (3%) had a borderline malignant tumor, and 42 (44%) had a benign lesion, of which 41 were gallstones or gallbladder polyps and 1 was an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm that caused pancreatitis. Surgery for the latter tumor was postponed while conservative treatment improved conditions, but pancreatitis recurred 2 weeks after discharge, leading to a quasiurgent surgery. Conclusion(s): Owing to COVID-19, 15% of the scheduled elective hepato- biliary- pancreatic operations were postponed. Even lesions considered benign or not requiring emergency surgery should be treated promptly. Thus, the timing of treatment should be determined so that the risks of exacerbation and COVID-19 can be balanced.Copyright © 2022 Jikei University School of Medicine. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The relationship between the severity of COVID-19, hyperinflammation, and intravascular coagulopathy is of critical importance. We report on a case of severe COVID-19 pneumonia treated with favipiravir during the earliest phase of the pandemic. The present case showed improvement in SARS-CoV-2 viral load and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG with decreased radiological evidence of pulmonary infiltration. Moreover, the levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α did not increase markedly. However, the hypoxia failed to recover, leading to the patient’s death due to possible pulmonary thrombosis, because D-dimer was markedly elevated, and an electrocardiogram showed typical changes. At present, the fact that some COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms suddenly die at home has become a major issue in Japan. These findings suggest that additional treatment with anti-coagulants should be considered in some COVID-19 patients at risk of hypercoagulation to prevent sudden death from pulmonary thrombosis.