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Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 62. No. 3, 2023.

Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2023.62.03.7

Planning to ‘New Normal’ during COVID-19 Pandemic at General Surgery Department: a Turkey Experience

Mehmet Fatih Ekici orcid id orcid.org/0000-0002-1247-1139 ; Kütahya Health Sciences University, Medicine Faculty, Department of General Surgery, Kütahya, Turkey *
Ali Cihat Yıldırım ; Kütahya Health Sciences University, Medicine Faculty, Department of General Surgery, Kütahya, Turkey
Sezgin Zeren orcid id orcid.org/0000-0002-9342-1706 ; Kütahya Health Sciences University, Medicine Faculty, Department of General Surgery, Kütahya, Turkey
Faik Yaylak orcid id orcid.org/0000-0002-1216-0429 ; Kütahya Health Sciences University, Medicine Faculty, Department of General Surgery, Kütahya, Turkey
Özlem Arık orcid id orcid.org/0000-0002-9427-3733 ; Kütahya Health Sciences University, Medicine Faculty, Department of Biostatistics, Kütahya, Turkey
Mustafa Cem Algın ; Kütahya Health Sciences University, Medicine Faculty, Department of General Surgery, Kütahya, Turkey

* Corresponding author.

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Abstract

Planning of non-postponable treatments for cancer, trauma, emergency diseases,
and follow-up and treatment of chronic diseases are inevitable for the ongoing pandemic and future
pandemics. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of surgical applications and treatments made to
the surgery department in the first 3 months of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective
cohort study was performed from March 12, 2020 to June 1, 2020. COVID-19 negative general
surgery patients were included. Demographics, diagnosis and management were recorded, as well
as bed turnover and length of stay in the hospital. Similar data were collected on patients admitted
during the same period in 2019 and 2018 to allow for comparison. A total of 1764 operations were
included. There was a reduction in surgeries when comparing 2020 with 2019 and 2018 (164 vs. 713
and 890); however, there was no difference in the length of stay in the hospital (4.12 vs. 4.37 and
4.07 days, p=0.626). During 2020, appendectomies decreased (53 vs. 102 and 100, p=0.013). There
was no difference in the number of emergency oncologic surgeries during 2020 as compared with
2019 and 2018 (16 vs. 8 and 13, p=0.149). In conclusion, COVID-19 significantly impacted the
number of admissions to general surgery. However, cancer and emergency operations continued to
be required, thus provisions need to be made to enable planning these interventions.

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic; New normal; Cancer surgery; Emergency surgery

Hrčak ID:

315071

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/315071

Publication date:

1.11.2023.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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