As the world slowly comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic, more is learned about the impact of the virus on everyday lives and overall health.  

Researchers from the University of Michigan say that for patients who had cardiovascular surgical procedures delayed by the pandemic, there were the physical aspects of the delay to consider, but also psychological impacts.  

In a press release about the research, Mary Byrnes, PhD, an assistant research scientist in the Department of Surgery at Michigan Medicine, said she heard several stories from patients who struggled to get the help they needed while also trying to keep themselves safe amid so much uncertainty.  

“I’m literally afraid to have my surgery now, and I’m just going day by day on prayer and hoping… that I don’t have anything fatal attack my system,” Byrnes recalled one patient’s story.  

“As much as I want it done, those nurses are overwhelmed right now. They don’t need another person in there,” another patient told her.  

Byrnes interviewed 47 patients who were having serious elective procedures. In results published in Medical Care, the patients—who would normally have the typical concerns going into the procedure—experienced a magnified sense of worry about the potential risks of contracting the virus before and after their operations.  

The release noted that states like New York and Michigan that saw surges in the early stages of the pandemic, also saw a spike in deaths linked to heart problems. According to Byrnes, the spike in cardiovascular death could be explained by patients avoiding health care in those early stages.  

“Patients are suffering even though we don’t see them,” Byrnes said in the release. “We have to think about our policies and how we talk to patients in terms of the fact that they think they’re going to die – and they might.”  

To address some of these complexities, Craig Brown, MD, MS, a general surgery resident at Michigan Medicine, said there are steps that health care systems and providers can develop to help patients going forward.  

Implementing support systems or social work resources can minimize the impact of delays on a patient’s physical and psychological wellbeing.  


By Adam Hochron