Resource: Universal preoperative SARS-CoV-2 testing can facilitate safe surgical treatment during local COVID-19 surges
Source: British Journal of Surgery
Summary: This research letter details the experience of University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s approach to universal screening and COVID-19 testing for patients who required time-sensitive oncologic surgery, from April 6 and July 24, 2020. Following symptom screening, all 4649 patients were PCR tested within 72 hr of planned surgery. Test positivity rates reflected community rates, with up to 4% of preoperative tests being positive during a community surge in COVID-19.
No patient who had surgery after a negative preoperative COVID test developed confirmed COVID 19 within 2 weeks of their operation. There were no confirmed cases of surgical patient to patient, or patient to provider transmission.
Comment: The authors concluded that universal preoperative testing for COVID “allowed the safe continuation of surgery at a large cancer center in the USA”. They recommend ongoing universal preoperative COVID testing, even when community prevalence is low.
