N J L M

 
Subscribe Via RSS
  • Home
  • About
    Salient Features Bibliographic Information Abstracting and Indexing Specialties Covered Publisher
  • Issues
    Current Issue Online Ahead of Print Archive Forthcoming issue
  • Editorial
    Editorial Statements Editorial-PeerReview Process Editorial Board Publication Ethics & Malpractice Join us
  • Authors
    Submit an Article Manuscript Instructions Manuscript Assistance Publication Charges Paid Services Early Online Publication Service
  • Reviewers
    Apply as Reviewer Reviewers Acknowledgment
  • Search
    Simple Search Advanced Search
  • Member
    Register Login
  • Contact
  • Subscription
Original article / research
Year : 2023 Month : July-September Volume : 12 Issue : 3 Page : MO19 - MO23

Pre-surgical Screening for SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Elective Procedures in High Burden Resource Limited Settings: A Retrospective Observational Study

 
Correspondence Address :
Shazia Naaz,
H. No 6-1-1058, Siraj Villa, Khairatabad-500004, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
E-mail: shazianaaz478@gmail.com
Introduction: Pre-surgical screening of patients for COVID-19 by Reverse transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) is essential before surgeries as a precautionary measure in view of preventing COVID-19 to the health care workers. The inception of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) posed major hurdles and challenges in conducting elective surgeries. Considering that COVID-19 is expected to continue to be a problem for the public health system in the near future, institutions will need to create risk mitigation strategies with meticulous resource management especially in high burden centers.

Aim: To assess the role and need of repeat RT-PCR testing after an initial negative at a tertiary care center in view of the ever changing dynamics of COVID-19.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at the Mobile Virology Research & Diagnostic Laboratory in the Department of Microbiology, ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Hyderabad between September 2020 to May 2021. Pre- surgical cases admitted at the facility during the study period with ≥72 h duration of stay who have been tested for SARS-COV-2 RT-PCR more than once within a period of one week were included. RT-PCR testing was performed according to standard protocols. Clinical and demographic data were collected, including reasons for re-testing.

Results: A total of 2398 patients were admitted for surgeries during the study period, out of which 697 cases had a prolonged stay ≥72 h. In all of the cases, the initial test was negative, but 11 (1.58%) of them converted to positive. During the zenith of the second wave, the conversion rate was 4%, whereas it was only 0.2% during non peak periods.

Conclusion: Hence, it was concluded that to optimise the usefulness of pre-surgical screening test for SARS-COV-2, repeat testing may be avoided in a low burden setting with timely reassessment based on local positivity rate. Each facility should continuously reassess their needs based on sudden local surges to optimise utilisation, especially when faced with resource constraints and changing paradigm of the pandemic.
 
[ FULL TEXT ]   |   [ ]
 
  • Article Utilities

    • Readers Comments (0)
    • Article in PDF
    • Citation Manager
    • Article Statistics
    • Link to PUBMED
    • Print this Article
    • Send to a Friend
  • Go To Issues

    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Search Articles

    • Simple Search
    • Advance Search
  • Authors Facilities

    • Extensive Author Support
    • Submit Manuscript
    • ONLINE First Facility
    • NJLM Pre Publishing
  • Quick Links

    • REVIEWER
    • ACCESS STATISTICS
  • Users

    • Register
    • Log in
  • Pages

    • About
    • Issues
    • Editorials
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Search
    • Contacts
  • Issues Archives

  • Affiliated Websites

    • JCDR Prepublishing
    • Neonatal Database Home
    • JCDR Neonatal Database download center