Universität zu Köln

Willms, Arnulf G., Oldhafer, Karl J., Conze, Sophie, Thasler, Wolfgang E., von Schassen, Christian, Hauer, Thorsten, Huber, Tobias, Germer, Christoph-Thomas, Guenster, Simone, Bulian, Dirk R., Hirche, Zarah, Filser, Joerg, Stavrou, Gregor A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6890-4271, Reichert, Martin, Malkomes, Patrizia, Seyfried, Steffen, Ludwig, Tobias, Hillebrecht, Hans C., Pantelis, Dimitrios, Brunner, Stefanie, Rost, Wilm and Lock, Johan F. (2021). Appendicitis during the COVID-19 lockdown: results of a multicenter analysis in Germany. Langenbecks Arch. Surg., 406 (2). S. 367 - 376. NEW YORK: SPRINGER. ISSN 1435-2451

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Abstract

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed medical care worldwide. General surgery has been affected in elective procedures, yet the implications for emergency surgery are unclear. The current study analyzes the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020 on appendicitis treatment in Germany. Methods Hospitals that provided emergency surgical care during the COVID-19 lockdown were invited to participate. All patients diagnosed with appendicitis during the lockdown period (10 weeks) and, as a comparison group, patients from the same period in 2019 were analyzed. Clinical and laboratory parameters, intraoperative and pathological findings, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Results A total of 1915 appendectomies from 41 surgical departments in Germany were included. Compared to 2019 the number of appendectomies decreased by 13.5% (1.027 to 888, p=0.003) during the first 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. The delay between the onset of symptoms and medical consultation was substantially longer in the COVID-19 risk group and for the elderly. The rate of complicated appendicitis increased (58.2 to 64.4%), while the absolute number of complicated appendicitis decreased from 597 to 569, (p=0.012). The rate of negative appendectomies decreased significantly (6.7 to 4.6%; p=0.012). Overall postoperative morbidity and mortality, however, did not change. Conclusion The COVID-19 lockdown had significant effects on abdominal emergency surgery in Germany. These seem to result from a stricter selection and a longer waiting time between the onset of symptoms and medical consultation for risk patients. However, the standard of emergency surgical care in Germany was maintained.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Willms, Arnulf G. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Oldhafer, Karl J. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Conze, Sophie UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Thasler, Wolfgang E. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED von Schassen, Christian UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Hauer, Thorsten UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Huber, Tobias UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Germer, Christoph-Thomas UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Guenster, Simone UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Bulian, Dirk R. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Hirche, Zarah UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Filser, Joerg UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Stavrou, Gregor A. UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-6890-4271 UNSPECIFIED Reichert, Martin UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Malkomes, Patrizia UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Seyfried, Steffen UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Ludwig, Tobias UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Hillebrecht, Hans C. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Pantelis, Dimitrios UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Brunner, Stefanie UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Rost, Wilm UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Lock, Johan F. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-603044
DOI:	10.1007/s00423-021-02090-3
Journal or Publication Title:	Langenbecks Arch. Surg.
Volume:	406
Number:	2
Page Range:	S. 367 - 376
Date:	2021
Publisher:	SPRINGER
Place of Publication:	NEW YORK
ISSN:	1435-2451
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language METAANALYSIS; PERITONITIS; DIAGNOSIS Multiple languages Surgery Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/60304