Restarting Elective Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Under a Security Protocol During the COVID-19 Pandemic—a Prospective Observational Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, in order to protect the patient and to save hospital beds, cancelation of elective surgeries has become a great challenge. Considering that obesity is a chronic disease and the possible effect imposed by quarantine on weight gain with worsening rates of obesity and metabolic comorbidities, the creation of a protocol for a safe return to bariatric surgery became essential. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of new-onset severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) symptoms in patients who underwent bariatric procedures during the declining curve period. SETTING: Private practice METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted and included patients with indications for bariatric surgery during the decreasing curve period of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic who underwent surgery under a hospital security protocol. Patients were asked to answer a questionnaire and had a swab PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 detection. The primary outcome measure was the presence of 14-day and 30-day postoperative symptoms associated with COVID-19. Mortality was also analyzed. RESULTS: Three hundred patients with negative RT-PCR were operated on from May to June 2020. Seventeen patients had their surgery postponed because of a positive RT-PCR test or close contact. None of the patients developed new-onset SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic infection after 30 days of observation. No deaths were reported. Eleven had complications not related to SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: Even though this population may have a poorer outcome when infected with SARS-CoV-2, this security protocol has shown that the procedure can be safely performed during the outbreak.