Baja incidencia y alta mortalidad por COVID-19 en Cirugía General durante la primera ola de la pandemia / Low incidence and high COVID-19 mortality in a General Surgery during the first wave of the pandemia

Resumen Introducción y objetivo: La infección por coronavirus (COVID-19) en pacientes intervenidos es causa de importante mortalidad posoperatoria, aunque su incidencia es variable. El objetivo primario fue evaluar la incidencia de COVID-19 en los pacientes intervenidos en nuestro Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, durante el máximo impacto de la pandemia en España. El objetivo secundario fue evaluar la mortalidad perioperatoria y determinar los factores de riesgo para la infección por COVID-19. Materiales y Método: Estudio observacional retrospectivo de pacientes consecutivos sometidos a Cirugía General y Digestiva con ingreso superior a 24 h, del 1 de febrero de 2020 al 30 de abril de 2020 en un hospital terciario de Madrid, España. Resultados: Se analizaron 441 pacientes: 423 sin COVID-19 y 18 con COVID-19. Las características preoperatorias y operatorias fueron similares para ambos grupos, salvo por el grado ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists). La incidencia de COVID-19 en los pacientes intervenidos fue del 4,1%. La mortalidad posoperatoria fue elevada, del 22,2% en pacientes con COVID-19, frente a un 2,8% en pacientes no COVID-19 (p: 0,003). Los factores de riesgo para la infección por COVID-19 en los pacientes intervenidos fueron una estancia hospitalaria prolongada (OR: 1,035 [95% CI: 1,007-1,065]) y la reintervención quirúrgica (OR: 5,025 [95% CI: 1,650-15,311]). Conclusión: Las intervenciones durante la pandemia de COVID-19 causaron una baja tasa de infección con elevada mortalidad posoperatoria. La intervención quirúrgica debe valorarse frente al riesgo adicional para el paciente en contextos de alta transmisión.

The impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in intervened patients seems to cause large postoperative mortality, although its incidence varies among centres. Primary aim was to evaluate the incidence of COVID-19 on the patients intervened in our General and Digestive Surgery Department, during the maximum impact of the pandemia in Spain. Secondary outcomes were evaluating perioperative mortality, and determining the risk factors for COVID-19 infection. Materials and Method: Retrospective single centre study of consecutive patients undergoing general and gastrointestinal surgical procedures with more than 24 hours of inhospital stay, from February 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020 in a tertiary referral centre in Madrid, Spain. Results: A total of 441 patients were analysed: 423 were non-COVID-19 patients while 18 of them had COVID-19. Preoperative and operative characteristics were similar for both groups, unless for the American Society of Anesthesiologists grade. The incidence of COVID-19 in our intervened patients was 4.1%. Postoperative mortality was high among surgical patients with COVID-19, with a mortality rate of 22.2% compared to a 2.8% in non COVID-19 patients. The risk factors for COVID-19 infection were a prolonged postoperative stay (OR: 1.035 [95% CI: 1.007-1.065]) and the need of a reintervention (OR: 5.025 [95% CI: 1.650-15.311]). Conclusion: Surgical interventions during the COVID-19 pandemia resulted in a low infection rate but a high postoperative COVID-19 mortality. The decision to intervene must be carefully balanced against the additional risk for patients in a high transmission setting.

Sacral nerve stimulation for fecal incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze short-term outcomes and complications for our first fifty patients with fecal incontinence undergoing sacral root stimulation. PATIENTS: fifty patients with fecal incontinence receiving sacral neuromodulation in 4 hospitals are reviewed. Discussed variables include: age, sex, incontinence duration, incontinence cause, prior surgery for incontinence, Wexner scale score, anorectal manometry parameters, and endoanal ultrasonographic findings. Following the procedure Wexner scale score, anorectal manometry parameters, and associated complications are reviewed. RESULTS: mean age of patients is 59.9 years, with females predominating. Most common causes of incontinence include obstetric procedures, idiopathic origin, and prior anal surgery. Mean follow-up is 17.02 months. Follow-up revealed a statistically significant reduction in Wexner scale score and increase in voluntary anal pressure. Technique-derived minor complications included: 2 surgical wound infections that led to stimulator withdrawal; 2 patients with pain who were managed conservatively; 1 case of externalization in a gluteal stimulator; and 1 broken tetrapolar electrode. CONCLUSIONS: sacral nerve stimulation is a simple technique that improves Wexner scores in a statistically significant manner with a low complications rate.