Emergency Surgery during Lockdown: Experience at a tertiary care hospital
subject: covid-19, Trauma surgery, Trauma Surgery during COVID, Lockdown and Emergency Surgery, Impact of COVID and Lockdown on emergency Surgery
description: Introduction: COVID-19 has halted the economic and social progression of the human race. This pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of all walks of life. But, most of all, this crisis has jolted the health care systems around the globe. A decrease in emergency surgical interventions was observed at District headquarters Hospital, Rawalpindi. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a pandemic on acute surgical emergency presentation and referral to a tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods: It is a retrospective cohort study. We compared emergency surgical interventions requiring spinal or general anaesthesia followed by admission in a ward at DHQ hospital, Rawalpindi during a control period (15th March 2019–15th June 2019) and during the pandemic lockdown period (15th March 2020- 15th June 2020). Results: A total of 228 cases were included in the study including both groups. About 73% (167 ) cases were performed in an emergency during Pre COVID-19 period i.e. from March 15th- June 15th, 2019. A total of 41 exploratory laparotomies were performed in a total of which 28 (68%) were done in the control period while 13 (32%) were done during the lockdown period. Out of 13 laparotomies due to road traffic accidents, only 3 were done during the lockdown period. Civilian Violence causing penetrating trauma resulted in 21 laparotomies in total out of which 11 were before the COVID-19 crisis and 10 during the lockdown. A total of 107 appendectomies were performed. Out of which 75 (70%) were performed in the Pre COVID-19 pandemic. Less than half the number (32) of appendectomies were done during the lockdown. A marked decrease in emergency hernia surgeries was observed. In the Pre COVID-19 time period, 13 emergency hernia surgeries were done, while only 03 surgeries were done during the lockdown. Regarding Hepatobiliary emergency surgeries, none was done during lockdown while 08 were done during three months of the Pre COVID-19 period. Conclusion: First…
creator: Muhammad Waqas Raza, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Malik Irfan Ahmed, Tariq Nawaz
source: Journal of Rawalpindi Medical College
publisher: Rawalpindi Medical University
date: 2020
coverage: Medicine