Anyone works in a hospital surgical ward/day surgery unit able to advise what their policy is

[Rememberallball]

I realise that only my admitting hospital can give a definitive answer, and I will be calling them in the morning to discuss this, but I’ll ask what would happen in this situation at your hospital….

Im due to be admitted for urgent day case surgery on 22nd April and tested Covid positive on lateral flow test on Sunday 10th (am not surprised as one of my toddler twins tested positive on Saturday and I expect the other to be positive when I test him again tomorrow)

Due to have pre op pcr on 20th and plan to do daily lateral flow tests from day 5 to see when I go negative. Obviously guidelines are no pcr for 90 days after infection as could still be positive but would likely not be infectious by the 20th as few people are 10 days after infection.

I’ll be devastated if this surgery gets cancelled as I was told 8-10 weeks wait for surgery and, if it happens on 22nd, that’s 20 weeks from going on list - and that’s only because I got PALS involved when the department wouldn’t even give me an idea of where I was on the list or how long it would take to be given a provisional date!! Also, every week I wait means the issue gets worse and I end up on another course of antibiotics because I get yet another infection (have had 5 courses since seeing consultant in December and it’s flared up again so I probably need more).

So, if I was a patient at your hospital, would I
A) automatically get cancelled as I might get a positive pcr because it’s within 90 days of infection
B) would the fact I’m more than 10 days from infection mean I’d be exempt from the pcr and be able to go in for the op? (Obviously in this scenario I would not go if still testing positive on lateral flow tests)
C) does your hospital have a policy of making a patient wait a certain length of time after infection for urgent surgery admission?

Family member has to wait 8 weeks after infection before surgery. Something about the anesthetic risk going up?

Anaesthetic risks do increase, but that needs to be looked at along with the risks associated with not doing the surgery.
Only your surgeon and anaesthetist can make that decision.

I am due surgery early May, DH currently v ill with Covidand all guidance says 7 weeks + wait after Covid for general anaesthetic. I think that's going to be your sticking point.

If they weren't going to use general I think the advice is still to wait but there may be a bit more flexibility.

Sorry OP but I think you need to brace yourself for the surgery to be postponed, at least you have a lateral flow that's positive so the clock can start ticking. I am ill but testing negative on LTF so have paid for a PCR, as if the pre-op PCR picks up Covid I can at least restart the clock now rather than at the pre-op test.

Good luck

Spoke to say unit and their advice was to speak to admitting consultants secretary so I have done. She’s made a note of my d et ails and admitted they’ve no specific guidance but, as I will be day 10 post positive lateral flow on the day of the PCR, they may accept 2 negative lateral flow tests at least 24 hours apart if the pcr is positive. I have to test from Friday onwards and call back on Tuesday to discuss it.

I’m also waiting now to hear from local NHS team to see if I’m eligible for the antiviral/antibody treatments that are being given to certain CEV patients.