New York's perspective of COVID 19: Effect and impact on cardiac surgery.

TitleNew York's perspective of COVID 19: Effect and impact on cardiac surgery.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsFarrington WJ, Mack CA, Karas MG, Ivascu NS, N Robinson B, Iannacone E, Lau C, Mick SL, Girardi LN
JournalJ Card Surg
Date Published2020 Sep 16
ISSN1540-8191
Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: First reported in December of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has had a profound impact on the implementation of care. Here, we describe our institutional experience with a rapid influx of patients at the epicenter of the pandemic.

METHODS: We retrospectively review our experience with the departments of cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, anesthesia, and critical care medicine and summarize protocols developed in the midst of the pandemic.

RESULTS: The rapid influx of patients requiring an intensive level of care required a complete restructuring of units, including the establishment of a new COVID-19 negative unit for the care of patients requiring urgent or emergent non-COVID-19 related care including open-heart surgery. This unique unit allowed for the delivery of safe and effective care in the epicenter of the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS: Here, we demonstrate the response of a large tertiary academic medical center to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we demonstrate how rapid structural changes can allow for the continued delivery of cardiac surgical care with similar outcomes as those reported before the pandemic.

DOI10.1111/jocs.15043
Alternate JournalJ Card Surg
PubMed ID32939825