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. 2020 Oct;72(4):1166-1172.
doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2020.05.026. Epub 2020 May 23.

Experience from a Singapore tertiary hospital with restructuring of a vascular surgery practice in response to national and institutional policies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Jun Jie Ng  1 , Tiffany R X Gan  2 , Jen Yong Niam  3 , Raj K Menon  4 , Pei Ho  4 , Rajesh B Dharmaraj  2 , Julian C L Wong  2 , Andrew M T L Choong  5
Affiliations

Experience from a Singapore tertiary hospital with restructuring of a vascular surgery practice in response to national and institutional policies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Jun Jie Ng et al. J Vasc Surg. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Singapore was one of the first countries to be affected by COVID-19, with the index patient diagnosed on January 23, 2020. For 2 weeks in February, we had the highest number of COVID-19 cases behind China. In this article, we summarize the key national and institutional policies that were implemented in response to COVID-19. We also describe in detail, with relevant data, how our vascular surgery practice has changed because of these policies and COVID-19. We show that with a segregated team model, the vascular surgery unit can still function while reducing risk of cross-contamination. We explain the various strategies adopted to reduce outpatient and inpatient volume. We provide a detailed breakdown of the type of vascular surgical cases that were performed during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare it with preceding months. We discuss our operating room and personal protective equipment protocols in managing a COVID-19 patient and share how we continue surgical training amid the pandemic. We also discuss the challenges we might face in the future as COVID-19 regresses.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus disease 2019; Segregation; Surgical practice; Vascular surgery.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
The Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) is a color-coded framework developed by the Singapore government to reflect the current disease situation.
Fig 2
Fig 2
Vascular surgery outpatient clinic attendances and inpatient admissions from November 2019 to March 2020. DORSCON, Disease Outbreak Response System Condition.
Fig 3
Fig 3
Vascular surgery operative volume and case mix from November 2019 to March 2020. CLTI, Chronic limb-threatening ischemia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. World Health Organization Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Situation report—30. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/2... Available at:

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