How COVID-19 pandemic has changed elective surgery: the experience in a general surgery unit at a COVID-hospital: Covid-19 and Elective General Surgery

How COVID-19 pandemic has changed elective surgery: the experience in a general surgery unit at a COVID-hospital

Covid-19 and Elective General Surgery

Authors

  • Mario Giuffrida a:1:{s:5:"en_US";s:25:"Parma University Hospital";}
  • Federico Cozzani General Surgery Unit, Parma University Hospital
  • Matteo Rossini General Surgery Unit, Parma University Hospital
  • Elena Bonati General Surgery Unit, Parma University Hospital
  • Paolo Del Rio General Surgery Unit, Parma University Hospital

Keywords:

Covid-19; pandemic; general surgery; oncology; colon cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer.

Abstract

Objective

Evaluate the impact of Covid-19 in a critical area and analyze the changes in the daily activities in a General Surgery Unit of a tertiary Covid-Hospital.

 

Methods

We report and compared all the surgical procedures performed between two periods (March and April 2019 and March and April 2020) at General Surgery Department of Parma University Hospital, a tertiary Covid-Hospital.

 

Results

Between March and April 2019, a total of 232 surgical procedures were performed. Between March and April 2020 only 61 surgical procedures were performed. In 2019 84 patients underwent surgery for cancer and 171 underwent surgery for benign diseases. In 2020 only 37 patients underwent surgery for oncological reasons and 24 underwent surgery for benign diseases.

 

Conclusions

During pandemic Covid-19 the access to health services was limited and poor. Limited access to health services and the fear of Covid-19 infection can explain the lower number of elective surgical procedures for cancer in 2020 compared to the same period in the 2019.

References

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De Simone B, Chouillard E, Di Saverio S, et al. Emergency surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: what you need to know for practice. Ann R Col Surg Eng. 2020;102:323–332. doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2020.0097.

Patriti, A., Baiocchi, G.L., Catena, F. et al. Emergency general surgery in Italy during the COVID-19 outbreak: first survey from the real life. World J Emerg Surg. 2020; 15, 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-020-00314-3

Pertile D, Gallo G, Barra F, et al. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on surgical residency programmes in Italy: a nationwide analysis on behalf of the Italian Polyspecialistic Young Surgeons Society (SPIGC). Updates Surg. 2020;72(2):269-280. doi:10.1007/s13304-020-00811-9

Perrone, G., Giuffrida, M., Bonati, E., Del Rio, P., Pattonieri, V., Tarasconi A., et al. Emergency Surgery in A Tertiary Hospital: The Covid-19 Experience. Bangladesh J. Med. Sci. 2020;19, S 66-S 68. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v19i0.48168

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Published

10-11-2020

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL INVESTIGATIONS/COMMENTARIES - SPECIAL COVID19

How to Cite

1.
Giuffrida M, Cozzani F, Rossini M, Del Rio P. How COVID-19 pandemic has changed elective surgery: the experience in a general surgery unit at a COVID-hospital: Covid-19 and Elective General Surgery. Acta Biomed [Internet]. 2020 Nov. 10 [cited 2024 Oct. 4];91(4):e2020152. Available from: https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/actabiomedica/article/view/10301