Complications of use of vascular devices during the covid-19 pandemic: a retrospective cohort.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a substantial increase in the number of severely ill hospitalized patients, which coincided with a corresponding increase in the consumption of medical supplies, including vascular devices. In this context, vascular surgeons perceived an absolute increase in complications associated with their use.

Objectives: To calculate the rate of severe complications requiring surgical vascular intervention following vascular device implantation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A retrospective cohort was conducted to investigate complications associated with vascular devices, such as central venous catheters (CVC), arterial lines, peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), totally implantable venous catheters, and semi-implantable venous catheters. The exposed population was defined based on the number of vascular devices used during the pandemic period, identified using the WPDHOSP materials management software. A total of 1,708 consultations with the vascular surgery team were analyzed using Medview medical record software. Patient records were evaluated, selecting those requiring vascular intervention.

Results: Out of a total of 16,988 vascular devices used, 25 patients needed surgical or endovascular vascular interventions. This corresponds to a severe complication rate of 0.14%. The complications found were intravascular foreign body, active bleeding, pseudoaneurysm, unintentional arterial implantation, expanding cervical hematoma, acute limb ischemia, and arteriovenous fistula. Patients underwent vascular procedures such as foreign body removal, arterial repair, arterial embolization, endovascular stenting, arterial thrombectomy, and arteriovenous fistula repair.

Conclusions: The severe complication rate is consistent with incidences found in the pre-pandemic literature.