The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Services in Singapore: Retrospective Quantitative Study
BackgroundAt the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) unit had to reorganize its surgical case volume due to the rationing of health care resources. We report on a local audit evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on the HPB unit and the HPB surgical...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2022-05-01
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| Series: | JMIR Perioperative Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://periop.jmir.org/2022/1/e29045 |
| _version_ | 1797327533481394176 |
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| author | Zhe Hao Timothy Teo Cheong Wei Terence Huey Jee Keem Low Sameer Padmakumar Junnarkar Vishalkumar G Shelat |
| author_facet | Zhe Hao Timothy Teo Cheong Wei Terence Huey Jee Keem Low Sameer Padmakumar Junnarkar Vishalkumar G Shelat |
| author_sort | Zhe Hao Timothy Teo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundAt the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) unit had to reorganize its surgical case volume due to the rationing of health care resources. We report on a local audit evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on the HPB unit and the HPB surgical oncology practice.
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the HPB unit’s elective and emergency surgical cases. The secondary aims were to investigate the impact on the HPB surgical oncology operative case volume.
MethodsWe performed a comparative audit of the HPB unit surgical case volume for January-June 2019 (baseline) and 2020 (COVID-19). Elective and emergency cases performed under general anesthesia were audited. Elective cases included hernia and gallbladder operations and liver and pancreatic resections. Emergency cases included cholecystectomies and laparotomies performed for general surgical indications. We excluded endoscopies and procedures done under local anesthesia. The retrospective data collected during the 2 time periods were compared. This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000040265).
ResultsThe elective surgical case volume decreased by 41.8% (351 cases in 2019 compared to 204 cases in 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of hernia operations decreased by 63.9% (155 in 2019 compared to 56 in 2020; P<.001) and cholecystectomies decreased by 40.1% (157 in 2019 compared to 94 in 2020; P=.83). The liver and pancreatic resection volume increased by 16.7% (30 cases in 2019 compared to 35 cases in 2020; P=.004) and 111.1% (9 cases in 2019 compared to 19 cases in 2020; P=.001), respectively. The emergency surgical workload decreased by 40.9% (193 cases in 2019 compared to 114 cases in 2020). The most significant reduction in the emergency workload was observed in March (41 to 23 cases, a 43.9% reduction; P=.94), April (35 to 8 cases, a 77.1% reduction; P=.01), and May (32 to 14 cases, a 56.3% reduction; P=.39); however, only April had a statistically significant reduction in workload (P=.01).
ConclusionsThe reallocation of resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic did not adversely impact elective HPB oncology work. With prudent measures in place, essential surgical services can be maintained during a pandemic.
Trial RegistrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000040265); https://tinyurl.com/ms9kpr6x |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:39:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22e677576fb143c7ba3c45476bc494b6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2561-9128 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:39:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Perioperative Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-22e677576fb143c7ba3c45476bc494b62024-02-03T09:07:26ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Perioperative Medicine2561-91282022-05-0151e2904510.2196/29045The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Services in Singapore: Retrospective Quantitative StudyZhe Hao Timothy Teohttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4510-5837Cheong Wei Terence Hueyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8575-5645Jee Keem Lowhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1090-9336Sameer Padmakumar Junnarkarhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0588-1014Vishalkumar G Shelathttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3988-8142 BackgroundAt the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) unit had to reorganize its surgical case volume due to the rationing of health care resources. We report on a local audit evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on the HPB unit and the HPB surgical oncology practice. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the HPB unit’s elective and emergency surgical cases. The secondary aims were to investigate the impact on the HPB surgical oncology operative case volume. MethodsWe performed a comparative audit of the HPB unit surgical case volume for January-June 2019 (baseline) and 2020 (COVID-19). Elective and emergency cases performed under general anesthesia were audited. Elective cases included hernia and gallbladder operations and liver and pancreatic resections. Emergency cases included cholecystectomies and laparotomies performed for general surgical indications. We excluded endoscopies and procedures done under local anesthesia. The retrospective data collected during the 2 time periods were compared. This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000040265). ResultsThe elective surgical case volume decreased by 41.8% (351 cases in 2019 compared to 204 cases in 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of hernia operations decreased by 63.9% (155 in 2019 compared to 56 in 2020; P<.001) and cholecystectomies decreased by 40.1% (157 in 2019 compared to 94 in 2020; P=.83). The liver and pancreatic resection volume increased by 16.7% (30 cases in 2019 compared to 35 cases in 2020; P=.004) and 111.1% (9 cases in 2019 compared to 19 cases in 2020; P=.001), respectively. The emergency surgical workload decreased by 40.9% (193 cases in 2019 compared to 114 cases in 2020). The most significant reduction in the emergency workload was observed in March (41 to 23 cases, a 43.9% reduction; P=.94), April (35 to 8 cases, a 77.1% reduction; P=.01), and May (32 to 14 cases, a 56.3% reduction; P=.39); however, only April had a statistically significant reduction in workload (P=.01). ConclusionsThe reallocation of resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic did not adversely impact elective HPB oncology work. With prudent measures in place, essential surgical services can be maintained during a pandemic. Trial RegistrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000040265); https://tinyurl.com/ms9kpr6xhttps://periop.jmir.org/2022/1/e29045 |
| spellingShingle | Zhe Hao Timothy Teo Cheong Wei Terence Huey Jee Keem Low Sameer Padmakumar Junnarkar Vishalkumar G Shelat The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Services in Singapore: Retrospective Quantitative Study JMIR Perioperative Medicine |
| title | The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Services in Singapore: Retrospective Quantitative Study |
| title_full | The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Services in Singapore: Retrospective Quantitative Study |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Services in Singapore: Retrospective Quantitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Services in Singapore: Retrospective Quantitative Study |
| title_short | The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Services in Singapore: Retrospective Quantitative Study |
| title_sort | impact of the covid 19 pandemic on hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgical services in singapore retrospective quantitative study |
| url | https://periop.jmir.org/2022/1/e29045 |
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