An unexplained death after routine cardiac surgery: how long have we dealt with coronavirus disease 2019?

Laura Varela Barca; Isabel Torralba Cloquell; Jaime Herrero Cereceda; Jose Ignacio Sáez de Ibarra

doi:10.1093/icvts/ivaa210

An unexplained death after routine cardiac surgery: how long have we dealt with coronavirus disease 2019?

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2020 Dec 7;31(6):904-905. doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivaa210.

Authors

Laura Varela Barca¹, Isabel Torralba Cloquell², Jaime Herrero Cereceda³, Jose Ignacio Sáez de Ibarra¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiac Surgery, Son Espases University Hospital, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
² Department of Pathology, Son Espases University Hospital, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
³ Intensive Care Unit, Son Espases University Hospital, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Abstract

We present a case report of fatal respiratory failure after cardiac surgery in the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak. Although not supported by epidemiological data nor clinical course, coronavirus disease 2019 infection was revealed post-mortem by immunohistochemical detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein in lung tissue.

Keywords: COVID-19 infection; Cardiac surgery; Immunohistochemical detection; Post-mortem transmission.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Aortic Valve Stenosis / epidemiology
Aortic Valve Stenosis / surgery*
COVID-19 / epidemiology*
Comorbidity
Fatal Outcome
Female
Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / adverse effects*
Humans
SARS-CoV-2*