Bariatric Surgery is Safe for Patients After Recovery from COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Studies of patients who have undergone surgery while infected with COVID-19 have shown increased risks for adverse outcomes in both pulmonary complications and mortality. It has become clear that the risk of complications from perioperative COVID-19 infection must be weighed against the risk from delayed surgical treatment. Studies have also shown that prior bariatric surgery conveys protection against mortality from COVID-19 and that obesity is the biggest risk factor for mortality from COVID-19 infection in adults under 45 years of age. Studies in patients who have fully recovered from COVID-19 and underwent elective surgery have not become widely available yet.

Objectives: This multi-institutional case series is presented to highlight patients who developed COVID-19, fully recovered, and subsequently underwent elective bariatric surgery with 30-day outcomes available.

Setting: Nine bariatric surgery centers located across the United States.

Methods: This multicenter case series is a retrospective chart review of patients who developed COVID-19, recovered, and subsequently underwent bariatric surgery. Fifty-three patients are included, and 30-day morbidity and mortality were analyzed.

Results: Thirty-day complications included esophageal spasm, dehydration, and ileus. There were no cardiovascular, venous thromboembolism (VTE) or respiratory events reported. There were no 30- day mortalities.

Conclusions: Bariatric surgery has been safely performed in patients who made a full recovery from COVID-19 without increased complications due to cardiovascular, pulmonary, venous thromboembolism, or increased mortality rates.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; COVID-19; Pandemic; VTE prophylaxis; Workup.