COVID-19 Pandemic Significantly Decreases Acute Surgical Complaints

Area of Science:

• Surgery
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic impacted elective surgeries nationwide.
• The effect on acute surgical conditions and acute care surgery remained unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute surgical complaints.
• To analyze changes in surgical consult volume and intervention rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of surgical consults at a major academic hospital.
• Analysis of consults in the 30 days before and after the first COVID-19 case.

Main Results:

• Total surgical consult volume decreased by 43% post-COVID-19.
• A disproportionate reduction was observed in less acute surgical complaints.
• The rate of surgical intervention per consult remained consistent (31% vs. 28%).
• Vascular access consultations increased due to COVID-19 inpatient care.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reshaped the patterns of acute surgical complaints.
• Understanding these shifts is crucial for resource allocation in surgical departments during the pandemic.