Acute Biliary Pancreatitis Management during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Abstract

(1) Objective: We aimed to analyze and describe the management of acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. (2) Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study among patients with ABP during a control period (16 March 2019 to 15 March 2020; period 1) and a COVID-19 period (16 March 2020 to 15 March 2021; period 2). (3) Results: We included 89 patients with ABP, being 58 in period 1 and 31 in period 2. The mean patient age was 62.75 ± 16.59 years, and 51 (57.3%) patients were women. The Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score for sepsis and World Society of Emergency Surgery Sepsis Severity Score were significantly higher among patients in period 2. Twenty-two patients (37.9%) in period 1 and six (19.3%) in period 2 underwent cholecystectomy. There were no significant differences in surgical interventions between the two periods. The hospital mortality rate was 3.4 and 19.3% in period 1 and period 2, respectively. Mortality was significantly higher in period 2. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a significant reduction in the number of patients with ABP but increased severity and mortality. Multicenter studies with more patients are needed to obtain additional evidence regarding ABP management during the COVID-19 pandemic.