Transplant surgeries and COVID-19

Transplants are identified as nonelective surgeries, and transplant patients have faced urgent medical needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our practice, like many others across the country, did slow down in March and April of this year," says Dr. Patrick Dean, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon. "Patients and providers were concerned ― appropriately so ― about what would happen with this pandemic and whether it would be safe to have a transplant or for that matter any health care that wasn't absolutely emergent."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Dean talks about taking care of transplant patients; overcoming surgery challenges during the pandemic; the increased risks transplant patients have of developing SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, because of compromised immune systems; and the important need for COVID-19 testing.

To practice safe social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, this interview was conducted using video conferencing. The sound and video quality are representative of the technology used.

Connect with others talking about the pandemic and supporting one another in the COVID-19 support group.