PLANNING TO 'NEW NORMAL' DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT GENERAL SURGERY DEPARTMENT: A TURKEY EXPERIENCE

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.