Heart and Vascular Program, Baystate Health, and University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate, Springfield, Massachusetts.
Sections of Critical Care and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Ann Thorac Surg. 2020 Aug;110(2):707-711. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.04.007. Epub 2020 Apr 27.
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates aggressive infection mitigation strategies to reduce the risk to patients and healthcare providers. This document is intended to provide a framework for the adult cardiac surgeon to consider in this rapidly changing environment. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative detailed protective measures are outlined. These are guidance recommendations during a pandemic surge to be used for all patients while local COVID-19 disease burden remains elevated.