Emergency surgical gastrostomy in an esophageal cancer patient unable to receive COVID-19 treatment due to obstruction, and operating room measures as per pandemic guidelines: Case report

We present here a gastrostomy procedure performed on a patient diagnosed with COVID-19 with no oral intake due to esophageal cancer in order to permit the initiation of COVID-19 treatment, and the COVID-19 protocols followed as per the pandemic guidelines. A 55-year-old female patient diagnosed recently with esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma was consulted for a surgical gastrostomy in the absence of oral intake due to complete esophageal obstruction prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The patient had a new-onset cough and elevated body temperature (38°C) on admission to our clinic, and so was tested for COVID-19, with the final diagnosis established with PCR. In order to initiate COVID-19 treatment, a surgical gastrostomy was performed under semi-emergency conditions, following COVID-19 infection prevention guidelines. COVID-19 treatment, nutrition, and supportive therapy were initiated through the gastrostomy catheter. The patient is clinically stable on day 7 of treatment. A COVID-19 patient may require emergency surgical intervention during the fight against pandemic. When a surgical procedure is performed, all guidelines defined to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 infection should be followed.