Open Hart Surgery Experience of a High Volume Center During Pandemic

Objective: The aim of the study is to report the results of open heart surgery performed during the pandemic. Methods: One hundred eighty-five symptomatic patients were operated under a median sternotomy with a cardiopulmonary bypass in our pandemic hospital. They were all outpatient and were COVID-negative and strict precautions were taken. Results: 185 patients were referred to cardiovascular surgery for several type of cardiac operation. All patients were symptomatic due to primary cardiac disease. In-hospital mortality rate was seven times higher in those with Covid-19 (22.2%) while the non Covid-19 patients had a rate of (3.4%) (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Cardiac surgery is inevitable in symptomatic patients and can be done even with the risk of transmission and death. The patient, cardiac surgeon, and healthcare team should be aware of the ongoing contamination time.