Influence of the novel coronavirus infection pandemic on the structure of visits and hospitalization of children with emergency surgical pathology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The new coronavirus pandemic has dramatically impacted our lives. This study aimed to analyze the structural changes in providing emergency surgical care to children during the COVID-19 pandemic. AIM: The purpose of this work was to analyze. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the number of people seeking emergency surgical care in the emergency department during the period of strict coronavirus restrictions to the same period the previous year (2019) and the number of patients hospitalized for emergency surgical treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the pre-COVID period, the number of visits from children with suspected acute surgical pathology (acute appendicitis, purulent-inflammatory diseases of soft tissues, and injuries of the abdomen and chest) decreased by more than twofold (from 527 to 241 patients, p 0.01). A similar trend was observed with hospitalizations, which significantly decreased from 139 to 66 children (p 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The data revealed referral and hospitalization characteristics of children with acute surgical pathology. Thus, the new coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted the delivery of emergency surgical care to children.