Of 1,128 COVID-19 patients undergoing surgery at 235 hospitals in 24 countries, 577 (51.2%) had pulmonary complications, and 219 (38.0%) of them died, according to an observational study published late last week in The Lancet.In the partially retrospective, uncontrolled study, researchers in the COVIDSurg Collaborative enrolled patients 7 days before or 30 days after surgery from Jan 1 to Mar 31.
Of the 268 patients who died, 219 (81.7%) had pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or needed mechanical ventilation.
The death rate was highest in patients diagnosed as having ARDS (102 of 162 [63.0%]).Pulmonary complications were associated with high 30-day death rates in patients with a postoperative COVID-19 diagnosis