Post-COVID 19 Patients Undergoing Surgery: Determination of Residual Lung Abnormalities and Postoperative Adverse Effects

The most common lung complications of severe COVID-19 are pneumonia and hypoxemic respiratory failure/ARDS. Manifestations of lung inflammation or fibrosis were also observed in late stages of COVID-19 causing respiratory sequelae. Fibrous lesions may form during the healing of pulmonary chronic inflammation or proliferative diseases, with gradual replacement of cellular components by scar tissues indicating a poor outcome of COVID-19. Ultrasound allows to stratify the severity of lung damage and combined with the clinic, can help estimate the patient's prognosis and support therapeutic decision-making. On the other hand, pulmonary inflammatory processes and fibrosis are responsible for a decrease in respiratory distensibility or pulmonary compliance. Pulmonary parenchyma distensibility is known as static distensibility or compliance and it´s calculated by mechanical ventilators during general anesthesia.

There are no studies that determine the results of lung ultrasound and pulmonary compliance in preoperative and intraoperative period respectively in postCOVID patients, and the postoperative complications of postCOVID patients are poorly understood.