Abstract
Aim: Our aim in this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute appendicitis (AA) cases. Material and Methods: This study was designed as a single-center, retrospective, and observational study. The patients were divided into three groups relative to the date of the first COVID-19 case in Turkey, which was March 10, 2020 (Group A: before the pandemic;Group B: pandemic period;Group C: the same period one year before the pandemic). A total of 413 patients were included in the study. Results: In terms of treatment modality, the rate of open appendectomy was significantly higher in Group B (p<0.001). Rates of conversion to open surgery, as well as rates of complicated appendicitis were also significantly higher in Group B (p=0.027, p=0.024, respectively). While there was no difference between the groups in terms of preoperative hospitalization duration (p=0.102), it was found that the duration of symptoms, operation time, and postoperative length of hospital stay were significantly higher in Group B (p<0.001, p=0.011, p=0.001, respectively). In addition, the complication rate in group B (8.9%) was also significantly higher than in the other two groups (p=0.023). Discussion: We found that the rate of open surgery, the rate of conversion of laparoscopic surgery to open surgery, complication rates, mean operation time, and postoperative hospital stay were significantly higher in AA patients that underwent surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic period. We believe that the main reason for this negative outcome is the late admission of the patients to the hospital.
Highlights
Our aim in this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute appendicitis cases
We found that the rate of open surgery, the rate of conversion of laparoscopic surgery to open surgery, complication rates, mean operation time, and postoperative hospital stay were significantly higher in acute appendicitis patients that underwent surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic period
The novel virus, which first appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019, was named "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)" by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, and on February 11, 2020, the emerging clinical syndrome was defined as COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1]
Summary
Our aim in this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute appendicitis cases. In Turkey, early measures, such as international travel restrictions, held off the emergence of the first COVID-19 case, which was eventually detected on March 10, 2020, a later date compared to many countries Since this date, the Turkish Ministry of Health has undertaken a series of measures, such as the closure of schools at all levels, closure of universities, curfews for citizens over 65 and under 18 years old, and the conversion of many hospitals into pandemic response centers. The Turkish Ministry of Health has undertaken a series of measures, such as the closure of schools at all levels, closure of universities, curfews for citizens over 65 and under 18 years old, and the conversion of many hospitals into pandemic response centers Despite these measures, the number of infected people within the first month of the epidemic exceeded 47,000, the number of new cases per day toped 4,700 and the total number of deaths surpassed 1,000. In addition to these measures, it has been emphasized on news outlets and many social media platforms that hospitals should not be visited unless absolutely necessary
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