Affiliation:
1. Augenklinik, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland
2. Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
Abstract
Abstract
Background While the corona pandemic and the resulting containment measures affect the number of elective surgical procedures, the impact on emergency surgical interventions is less
tangible. This analysis quantifies the frequency of emergency vitrectomies for retinal detachment and investigates underlying factors.
Methods Retrospective identification of patients who underwent primary emergency vitrectomies for retinal detachment at the Cantonal Hospital of Lucerne between
01.01.2018 – 31.12.2020. Parameters were collected, including demographics, date of hospitalisation, reported onset of symptoms, pre-operative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA),
involvement of the macula, and canton of residence.
Results Overall, a total of 665 patients with 683 eyes underwent emergency surgery for primary retinal detachment in the time span of 01.01.2018 – 31.12.2020. Median monthly number
of surgeries was 20. During the first Swiss national lockdown (16.03.2020 – 19.04.2020), a minimum of 9 vitrectomies was recorded in March 2020. A maximum of 36 vitrectomies was conducted in
August 2020. The mean age of patients was 61.5 years. Of the 665 patients, 133 (20.0%) were residents of the canton of Ticino. Median pre-operative BCVA was 0.25 over all three years, and no
significant reduction in pre-operative BCVA was observed during or after the lockdown. The proportion of eyes with involvement of the macula was 52.2%. In 2018, this proportion (47.6%) was
significantly lower than in 2019 and 2020 (Chi2 test, p < 0.001). However, cases with macular involvement in post lockdown months were not more frequent. Median time in days
from reported symptom onset to hospitalisation was 5 days. In April 2020, the proportion of patients with > 14 days symptom duration was significantly higher (Chi2 test,
p < 0.001). During the lockdown, there was a significant reduction in cases from Ticino. Also, patients from Ticino showed proportionally longer symptom duration after the lockdown.
Conclusion A significant reduction in the number of emergency vitrectomies was observed for the initial period of the coronavirus pandemic. Delayed emergency presentation is not
assumed, since there was no increase in severity (i.e. macular involvement) or prolonged symptoms in the months following the lockdown. More protracted symptoms were only observed in
patients from Ticino. The initial low numbers were generally made good later in the year.
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献