Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
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Ann R Coll Surg Engl · Jun 2020
Frequency and severity of general surgical emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic: single-centre experience from a large metropolitan teaching hospital.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put significant stress on healthcare systems globally. This study focuses on emergency general surgery services at a major trauma centre and teaching hospital. We aimed to identify whether the number of patients and the severity of their presentation has significantly changed since the implementation of a national lockdown. ⋯ Fewer patients were referred and admitted during lockdown compared with pre-lockdown, and the length of stay was also significantly reduced. There was also a delay in presentation to hospital, although these patients were not more unwell based on the scoring criteria used within this study.