The NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery
Improving surgical outcomes through collaborative research
You or a loved one may be planning or waiting for an operation. This page provides information about surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CovidSurg group will strive to deliver resources to help every patient make the right decision when they need to.
About Surgery During COVID-19
Some operations must go ahead during the pandemic and its recovery period. The CovidSurg group is a team of surgeons and researchers working together to understand how we can protect surgical patients from infection with COVID-19 and keep surgery as safe as possible.
The CovidSurg data has shown that extra breathing complications occur in patients who are infected with COVID-19 around the time of their operation and for these patients there is an increased risk of dying.
The risk of dying is associated with patient characteristics and different types of surgery. This includes a higher risk of dying for male patients, those age over 70 years and those with existing medical problems. Surgery for cancer and major surgery or emergency operations also carry higher risks. The CovidSurg team are still working to understand more about predicting risk so that surgeons and patients can make the best choices together for every patient.
If you are preparing to undergo surgery during the pandemic, the hospital team and surgeon will have considered the risks and will adjust care to keep you safe.
The resources on this page provide information about:
- The effects of COVID-19 on surgical patients.
- What the hospital is doing to keep you safe.
- What you can do to stay safe.
Patient Resources
The CovidSurg Patient Information Booklets have been created to help patients and their families understand the risks of having an operation during the COVID-19 pandemic. We explain how surgical services will care for you during the pandemic and how we can work together to keep you safe.
Our research team have created these resources with the help of a Patient Advisory Group convened through Bowel Research UK‘s People and Research Together network. This work has attracted the attention of the BMJ and won an award for its patient Engagement and Impact.
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (UK)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Black & White in English)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Grayscale in English)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Easy Read in English)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Canada)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Malayalam)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Sinhalese)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Bengali)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Romanian)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Japanese)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Urdu)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (French)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Swedish)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Russian)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Italian)
Having an operation during the pandemic – guide for patients (Spanish)
Surgery for patients with cancer during the pandemic – guide for patients (South Africa)
Surgery for patients with cancer during the pandemic – guide for patients (Brazil)
Surgery for patients with cancer during the pandemic – guide for patients (UK)
Oncology poster (English)
Bringing together surgeons, researchers and policy makers to set the local research agenda according to patient need in LMIC and ensuring all patients have the opportunity to take part in our research.