Successful Coronary Artery Bypass Operation in a SARS-COV-2 Infected Patient with Acute Coronary Syndrome

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is overwhelming healthcare resources and infrastructure worldwide. Cardiac surgical operating capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically lower due to postponement or cancellation of elective or semi-urgent procedures. Earlier reports have demonstrated complicated post-operative courses and high fatality rates in patients undergoing emergent cardiothoracic surgery who were diagnosed post-operatively with COVID-19. These reports raise the possibility that active COVID-19 might precipitate a catastrophic pathophysiogical response to infection in the post-operative period and lead to unfavorable surgical outcomes. Hence, it is imperative to screen patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to surgery and to carefully monitor them in the post-operative period to identify any early signs of active COVID-19. In this report, we present the successful outcome of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operation in a patient with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection presenting with an acute coronary syndrome and requiring urgent surgical intervention. We employed a meticulous strategy to identify subclinical COVID-19 disease, and after confirming the absence of active disease, proceeded with the CABG operation. The patient outcome was successful with the absence of any overt COVID-19 manifestations in the post-operative period.