Lung Cancer Surgery in the COVID-19 Outbreak; Can it beDone, What Should be Considered, What is the Risk?

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the results of ongoing pulmonary resection cases in our hospital duringthe COVID-19 outbreak and to make recommendations in line with our experience. Methods: The results of patients who underwent surgery for lung cancer in our hospital between March 2020 and Oc tober 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Measures taken to prevent contamination in patients and the surgical teamduring the COVID-19 outbreak were evaluated. Results: A total of 21 patients, 20 male and 1 female, who underwent anatomical lung resection were included inthe study. Seven of the patients had received neoadjuvant therapy, 18 patients had lobectomy, 1 patient had lowerbilobectomy, and 2 patients had segmentectomy. During their postoperative follow-up and adjuvant treatments, CO VID-19 outbreak was encountered in 2 patients. Conclusion: In thoracic surgery practice, after neoadjuvant therapy or directly after diagnosis, the risk of contamina tion to patients can be minimized by taking necessary isolation measures while performing lung cancer surgery. Inaddition, we recommend that patients be evaluated with thorax CT and biochemical tests such as CRP, D-dimer, procal citonin, ferritin and hemogram 1 day before the surgery.