American College of Surgeons Releases New Clinical Guidance Document For Elective Surgical Case Triage During COVID-19

To assist in surgical decision-making in curtailing cases, The American College of Surgeons (ACS) released “COVID-19: Elective Case Triage Guidelines for Surgical Care,” a new surgical triage document that was developed following expert review in several specialties and provides trusted information from the most current best evidence available in the following areas:

• Cancer Surgery
• Breast Cancer Surgery
• Colorectal Cancer Surgery
• Thoracic Cancer Surgery
• Emergency General Surgery
• Gynecology
• Metabolic-Bariatric Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopaedics
• Otolaryngology
• Pediatric Surgery
• Urology
• Vascular Surgery

These triage recommendations should be used in conjunction with a joint statement ACS has developed with the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses recommending medical centers develop a Surgical Review Committee to act as an administrative body to provide defined, transparent, and responsive oversight for triaging surgical cases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ACS, ASA, and AORN recommend decisions of the Surgical Review Committee regarding surgical cases be made on a daily basis, no later than the day before an operation, and should include a multidisciplinary leadership team representing surgery, anesthesiology, and nursing.

“These triage guidelines and joint recommendations are being issued as we appear to be entering a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic with more hospitals facing a potential push beyond their resources to care for critically ill patients. ACS will continue to monitor the landscape for surgical care but we feel this guidance document provides a sound foundation for surgeons to begin enacting these triage recommendations today to help them make the best decisions possible for their patients during COVID-19,” said ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS.

• Read: COVID-19: Elective Case Triage Guidelines for Surgical Care at: https://www.facs.org/covid-19/clinical-guidance/elective-case
• Read: Create a Surgical Review Committee for COVID-19-Related Surgical Triage Decision Making at: https://www.facs.org/covid-19/clinical-guidance/review-committee