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. 2021 Jun;221(6):1259-1261.
doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.03.003. Epub 2021 Mar 5.

Impact of COVID-19 on procedure volume at a tertiary pediatric hospital

Alan F Utria  1 , Patrick J Javid  1 , Jingyang Chen  1 , Samuel E Rice-Townsend  2
Affiliations

Impact of COVID-19 on procedure volume at a tertiary pediatric hospital

Alan F Utria et al. Am J Surg. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Introduction: In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to overwhelm entire healthcare systems. Here we characterize changes in surgical volumes at a regional tertiary pediatric hospital during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data on all procedures performed during the state-wide ban on elective procedures (March 19th, 2020 to May 18th, 2020) that required anesthesia involvement were collected retrospectively and compared to the same time period in 2019.

Results: A total of 5785 procedures were performed: 4005 (69%) in 2019, and 1780 (31%) in 2020, representing a 55% decrease in total cases. The percentage decrease was disproportionate across surgical services. Add-on cases increased from 23% to 39%, and outpatient procedures decreased from 60% to 27%.

Discussion: The ban on elective procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant decrease in the volume of procedures performed at a tertiary pediatric hospital that differed among surgical services.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pediatric; Surgery; Volume.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Approval for this study was obtained from the Seattle Children’s Hospital Institutional Review Board.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Procedure by urgency classification.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Procedure volume by hospital specialty.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Time for COVID-19 test to result over the course of the ban on elective surgeries.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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