Risks of emergency vascular surgery in COVID-19 patients

Abstract

COVID-19 is a global and highly contagious pandemic with substantial morbidity and mortality. It has affected the medical care of other diseases with recommendations to postpone elective surgical procedures to decrease infection rates. New surgical triage guidelines have been recommended by the Vascular Surgery Society to manage urgent and emergent conditions. COVID-19 patients especially severe cases have several pathological findings as demonstrated by clinical research. Some of these pathologies including thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, and cardiac involvement are important to be considered by the vascular surgeon. The aim of this article was to review the literature and discuss these risks in relation to vascular surgery.