Safety of lung resection surgery after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in the post-vaccination era.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the post-operative outcomes of lung resection in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and determine the optimal timing of surgery.

METHODS: This retrospective, single-center cohort study included patients who underwent lung resection between June 2021 and June 2022. Patients were divided into the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups based on their pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection history, and post-operative outcomes were compared. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the risk factors of complications after lung resection surgery.

RESULTS: In total, 1,194 patients were enrolled, of whom, 79 had a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the COVID-19 group, 66 patients (90.4%) have received at least 1 vaccination dose. The average interval between infection and surgery was 67 days, with no significant impact on post-operative outcomes. Regarding post-operative outcomes, there were no significant differences in major complication rate (6.3% vs 5.4%, P = 0.613), respiratory complication rate (19.0% vs 12.2%, P = 0.079), or length of stays (4.9 ± 3.4 vs 5.0 ± 5.6, P = 0.992) between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, male sex, poor pulmonary function test, open surgery, and extensive lung resection were risk factors for postoperative complications, while preoperative COVID-19 infection status was not a statistically significant risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS: In the post-vaccination era, lung resection surgery can be safely performed shortly after SARS-CoV-2 infection, even within 4 weeks of infection.