Management of congenital cardiac surgery during COVID-19 pandemic

Timing of congenital cardiac surgery in children who turned COVID-19 positive

We report a series of four patients with CHD who tested positive for COVID-19, got treated, and underwent cardiac surgery in the same sitting. All had an uneventful perioperative course similar to COVID-19-negative patients. We conclude that children with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 disease may be subjected to surgery as early as within 1 week since COVID-19 negative.

Associations and Disease-Disease Interactions of COVID-19 with Congenital and Genetic Disorders: A Comprehensive Review

Since December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in Wuhan, China, has resulted in over six million deaths worldwide. Millions of people who survived this SARS-CoV-2 infection show a number of post-COVID complications. Although, the comorbid conditions and post-COVID complexities are to some extent well reviewed and known, the impact of COVID-19 on pre-existing congenital anomalies and genetic diseases are only documented in isolated case reports and case series, so far. In the present review, we analyzed the PubMed indexed literature published between December 2019 and January 2022 to understand this relationship from various points of view, such as susceptibility, severity and heritability. Based on our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review on COVID-19 and its associations with various congenital anomalies and genetic diseases. According to reported studies, some congenital disorders present high-risk for developing severe COVID-19 since these disorders already include some comorbidities related to the structure and function of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, leading to severe pneumonia. Other congenital disorders rather cause psychological burdens to patients and are not considered high-risk for the development of severe COVID-19 infection.

Pre-operative assessment of pediatric congenital heart disease patients in the COVID-19 era: lessons learned

BACKGROUND

Equal to COVID-19 patients, non-COVID-19 patients are affected by the medical and social drawbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant reduction in elective life-changing surgeries has been witnessed in almost all affected countries. This study discusses an applicable and effective pre-operative assessment protocol that can be applied during the COVID-19 era.

METHODS

Our study is a descriptive retrospective observational study that involves children with CHD requiring open-heart surgeries at our tertiary care centre between March and November, 2020. We reviewed the charts of eligible patients aged 18 years and below. We identified the total numbers of scheduled, performed, and postponed surgeries, respectively. A thorough description of the clinical and physical presentation of the postponed cases, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, is provided.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight open-heart surgeries were scheduled at our centre between March and November, 2020. Three surgeries (4%) were postponed due to COVID-19. The three patients were asymptomatic COVID-19 cases detected on routine SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction testing. No symptoms of cough, chest pain, dyspnea, rhinorrhea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, anosmia, and ageusia were reported by our patients. All patients were afebrile and hemodynamically stable. Owing to the pre-operative assessment protocol that was implemented after the first case was detected, only three healthcare workers were at risk of COVID-19 transmission and were imposed to infectious evaluation and home quarantine.

CONCLUSIONS

Adopting our discussed preoperative COVID-19 assessment protocol for CHD patients is an effective method to detect COVID-19 infections, optimise patient care, and ensure healthcare workers' safety.

Pediatric cardiac surgery following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection: Early experience and lessons learnt

Background

We evaluated our early experience of cardiac procedures in children with congenital heart defects (CHD) after asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, to understand whether recent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity had a negative impact on their postprocedural recovery and outcomes.

Materials and Methods

In this retrospective observational study, all patients with CHD who underwent cardiac surgery or transcatheter intervention at our institution between March 2020 and June 2021 who were detected to have asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection on routine RT-PCR were included. Details of the cardiac procedure and postprocedural recovery were reviewed and compared with RT-PCR-negative patients who concurrently underwent similar cardiac surgeries or interventions at our center.

Results

Thirteen patients underwent cardiac surgery after recent SARS-CoV-2 positivity after a mean interval of 25.4 ± 12.9 days. One patient expired with multiorgan dysfunction and systemic inflammatory response with elevated D-dimer, serum Ferritin, C-reactive protein, and significant ground-glass opacities on chest radiograph. Another patient developed spontaneous thrombosis of the infrarenal abdominal aorta, bilateral iliac arteries, and bilateral femoral veins, requiring low-molecular weight heparin postoperatively. This patient's postoperative recovery was also prolonged due to lung changes delaying extubation. All other patients had uneventful postprocedural recovery with intensive care unit and hospital stays comparable to non-SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.

Conclusions

From our early experience, we can surmise that an interval of 2-3 weeks after asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is adequate to undertake elective or semi-elective pediatric cardiac surgeries. For patients requiring emergent cardiac surgery prior to this interval, there is potentially increased risk of inflammatory and/or thrombotic complications.

COVID-19 pandemic implications in paediatric and congenital heart surgery in Brazil

INTRODUCTION

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic negatively impacted global healthcare. Consequences in Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery programmes and mortality of congenital heart patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-Cov-2) is still to be determined.

OBJECTIVE

To study the COVID-19 pandemic implications in Brazilian Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery programmes.

METHODS

We conducted a national online survey covering all states that perform Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery from 10 November to 22 November, 2020, using a Google forms questionnaire. We formulated questions related to impact on surgical volume, case-mix, and mortality. Then we asked about short-term post-operative COVID-19 infection and outcomes.

RESULTS

We received responses from 46 centres representing all states where there were a Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery programme and all high-volume centres across the country. All but one centre experienced a significant decrease in surgical volume, and 23.9% of the responders revealed less than one-quarter of volume decrement. On the other hand, in over 70% of the centres, there was a significant surgical volume reduction. In addition to this, there was a shift in case-mix in 41 centres (89.1%) towards more complex cases. More than one-third of the responders revealed increased mortality in 2020 compared to previous years, and 43.5% of the programmes (20 centres) had at least one patient contaminated by SARS-Cov-2, accounting for 48 patients. Mortality in post-operative infected patients was 45.8% (22 patients).

CONCLUSIONS

In general, Brazilian Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery programmes were severely affected by decreased surgical volume, unbalanced case-mix towards more complex cases, and increased mortality. Almost half of the programmes related post-operative COVID-19 contamination with high mortality.

Coronavirus disease 2019 convalescent children: outcomes after congenital heart surgery

BACKGROUND

Children with exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 in recent times (asymptomatic or symptomatic infection) approaching congenital heart surgery programme are in increasing numbers. Understanding outcomes of such children will help risk-stratify and guide optimisation prior to congenital heart surgery.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the present study was to determine whether convalescent coronavirus disease 2019 children undergoing congenital heart surgery have any worse mortality or post-operative outcomes.

DESIGN

Consecutive children undergoing congenital heart surgery from Oct 2020 to May 2021 were enrolled after testing for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen test and immunoglobulin G antibody prior to surgery. Convalescent coronavirus disease 2019 was defined in any asymptomatic patient positive for immunoglobulin G antibodies and negative for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen test anytime 6 weeks prior to surgery. Control patients were negative for any of the three tests. Mortality and post-operative outcomes were compared among the groups.

RESULTS

One thousand one hundred and twenty-nine consecutive congenital heart surgeries were stratified as convalescence and control. Coronavirus disease 2019 Convalescent (n = 349) and coronavirus disease 2019 control (n = 780) groups were comparable for all demographic and clinical factors except younger and smaller kids in control. Convalescent children had no higher mortality, ventilation duration, ICU and hospital stay, no higher support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, high flow nasal cannula, no higher need for re-intubations, re-admissions, and no higher infections as central line-associated bloodstream infection, sternal site infection, and ventilator-associated pneumonia on comparison with coronavirus disease 2019 control children.

CONCLUSIONS

Convalescent coronavirus disease 2019 does not have any unfavourable outcomes as compared to coronavirus disease 2019 control children. Positive immunoglobulin G antibody screening prior to surgery is suggestive of convalescence and supports comparable outcomes on par with control peers.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric cardiac services in India

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted pediatric cardiac services across the globe. Limited data are available on the impact of COVID.19 on pediatric cardiac care in India.

AIMS

The aims are to study the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the care of children with heart disease in India in terms of number of outpatient visits, hospitalizations, catheter-based interventions, and cardiac surgeries.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

This is a retrospective, multicentric, observational study.

METHODS

We collected monthly data on the number and characteristics of outpatient visits, hospitalizations, catheter-based interventions, and cardiac surgeries and major hospital statistics, over a period of 5 months (April to August 2020), which coincided with the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India and compared it with data from the corresponding months in 2019.

RESULTS

The outpatient visits across the 24 participating pediatric cardiac centers decreased by 74.5% in 2020 (n = 13,878) as compared to the corresponding period in 2019 (n = 54,213). The reduction in the number of hospitalizations, cardiac surgeries, and catheterization procedures was 66.8%, 73.0%, and 74.3%, respectively. The reduction in hospitalization was relatively less pronounced among neonates as compared to infants/children (47.6% vs. 70.1% reduction) and for emergency surgeries as compared to elective indications (27.8% vs. 79.2%). The overall in-hospital mortality was higher in 2020 (8.1%) as compared to 2019 (4.8%), with a higher postoperative mortality (9.1% vs. 4.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

The current COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the delivery of pediatric cardiac care across India with two-third reduction in hospitalizations and cardiac surgeries. In an already resource-constrained environment, the impact of such a massive reduction in the number of surgeries could be significant over the coming years. These findings may prove useful in formulating strategy to manage subsequent waves of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Outcome of COVID-19-positive children with heart disease and grown-ups with congenital heart disease: A multicentric study from India

BACKGROUND

Outcome data of children with heart disease who acquired COVID-19 infection are limited.

AIMS

We sought to analyze outcome data and identify risk factors associated with mortality in children with heart disease and grown-ups with congenital heart disease (GUCH) who had a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

This is a retrospective, multicentric, observational study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included children with heart disease and GUCH population, who presented with either symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID-19 infection to any of the participating centers. COVID-19-negative patients admitted to these centers constituted the control group.

RESULTS

From 24 pediatric cardiac centers across India, we included 94 patients with a median age of 12.5 (interquartile range 3-96) months and 49 (52.1%) patients were males. Majority (83 patients, 88.3%) were children. One-third of the patients (n = 31, 33.0%) had acyanotic congenital heart disease, and 41.5% (n = 39) were cyanotic, with > 80% of the patients being unoperated. Only 30 (31.9%) patients were symptomatic for COVID-19 infection, while the rest were incidentally detected positive on screening. A total of 13 patients died (case fatality rate: 13.8%). The in-hospital mortality rate among hospitalized patients was significantly higher among COVID-19-positive cases (13 of 48; 27.1%) as compared to COVID-negative admissions (9.2%) during the study period (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of mortality among COVID-19-positive cases were severity of illness at admission (odds ratio [OR]: 535.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.9-41,605, P = 0.005) and lower socioeconomic class (OR: 29.5, 95% CI: 1.1-814.7, P = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONS

Children with heart disease are at a higher risk of death when they acquire COVID-19 infection. Systematic preventive measures and management strategies are needed for improving the outcomes.

Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiac surgical services: A scoping review

Cardiac surgery was severely affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Reallocation of resources, conversion of surgical intensive care units and wards to COVID‐19 facilities, increased risk of nosocomial transmission to cardiac surgery patients, lead to reduced accessibility, quality, and affordability of health care facilities to cardiac surgery patients. Increasing the mortality and morbidity rate among such patients. Cardiac patients are at an increased risk to develop a severe illness if infected by COVID‐19 and are associated with a high mortality rate. Therefore, measures had to be taken to reduce the spread of the virus. Various approaches such as the hubs and the spokes centers, or parallel system were enforced. Elective surgeries were postponed while urgent surgeries were prioritized. Use of personal protective equipments and surgeries performed by only senior surgeons became necessary. Surgical trainees were also affected as limited training opportunities deprived them of the experience required to complete their fellowship. Some of the trainees were reallocated to COVID‐19 wards, while others invested their time in research opportunities. Online platforms were used for teaching, meetings, and workshops across the globe. Although some efforts have been made to reduce the impact of the pandemic, more research and innovation is required.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in a Pediatric and Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery Program in Brazil

Introduction:

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively impacted healthcare services worldwide. We hypothesized that the pandemic would affect our case mix and mortality. Our objective was to study this impact.

Methods:

We retrospectively studied all patients who underwent congenital heart surgeries from March 21^st to August 21^st in 2019 and 2020 using the institutional electronic database. We compared demographic data, preoperative and postoperative length of stay (LOS), risk stratification using Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS) classification and outcomes in both periods.

Results:

We observed a 66.7% decrease in our surgical volume (285 × 95 patients). Patients operated in the pre-pandemic period were older (911.3 [174.8 - 5953.8] days-old) compared to the pandemic period (275 days-old; P<0.05). When the case mix was compared between periods, the percentage of neonatal surgery was increased in the pandemic era (8% × 21.1%; P<0.05), and the number of RACHS 1-2 surgeries decreased significantly (60.7 × 27.4%; P<0.05). Preoperative LOS was increased in the pandemic period (1.2 × 7 days; P=0.001). There was no significant increment in mortality (P=0.1). Two patients tested positive for COVID-19 in the postoperative period and both died.

Conclusion:

Our program observed a sudden decrease in surgical volume and a consequent increase in surgical complexity. There was a non-significant increment in mortality.