Safety of Bariatric Surgery During the Opening Phase After the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience at an Academic Center

Abstract

Introduction: Increased morbimortality in patients with COVID-19 infection who had undergone surgery has raised concerns about bariatric surgery safety during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, there is scarce literature on safety outcomes after bariatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: To determine the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 infection and associated complications during the first 30 days after bariatric surgery. Materials and Methods: Prospective observational cohort study including all patients who consecutively underwent primary bariatric surgery between August and December 2020. Results: A total of 189 patients were included. Median age and BMI were 36 (17–70) years and 38 (35–41) kg/m2, respectively. Forty percent of patients were women (n = 76), 59.3% (n = 112) underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG), and 40.7% (n = 77) underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). All surgeries were performed laparoscopically. The median length of postoperative stay was 2 (0–5) days. Postoperative COVID-19 infection was detected in two patients (1.1%): one patient was readmitted without the need of intermediate or ICU care, and the other was managed as an outpatient. Major complications occurred in three patients (1.6%); none of them was COVID-19 related. Two patients required an unplanned reoperation. No patient required intermediate or ICU care, no severe COVID-19 complications were observed, and no mortality was reported. Conclusion: Bariatric surgery can be safely performed during the ongoing pandemic, albeit a low risk of COVID-19 symptomatic infection. Rigorous perioperative COVID-19 institutional protocols are required to perform bariatric surgery safely during the current pandemic. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]