Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf die robotische Viszeralchirurgie in Deutschland

[Influencing factors on operating times for metal bar removal after Nuss repair]

BACKGROUND

Metal bar removal after the Nuss repair procedure is prone to be cancelled in cases of operating time shortages due it being suitable to be postponed without harming patients. Consequently, planning operation times as exactly as possible could be one solution.

OBJECTIVE

Statistical modelling of operation times of metal bar removal after Nuss repair using the prespecified independent predictors of age, sex, intraoperative complications, and number of implanted metal bars.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We included all patients whose operation notes included an operation time, which was modelled via linear regression and subject to internal validation via bootstrap. Exploratory analyses also consisted of the surgeon's experience, the number of stabilizers, the body mass index, and preceding re-do surgery for bar dislocation.

RESULTS

We included 265 patients (14% ♀) with a median age of 19 years (interquartile range 17-20 years), of whom 81% had 1 and 17% had 2 metal bars removed. The prespecified regression model was statistically significant (likelihood ratio 56; df = 5; P < 0.001) and had a bias corrected R2 of 0.148. Patient age influenced operation times by 2.1min per year of life (95% confidence interval 1.3-2.9min; P < 0.001) and 16min per explanted metal bar (95% confidence interval: 10-22min; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The patient-specific factors of age and the number of explanted metal bars influenced the operation times and can be included into scheduling operation times.

Management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 pandemic. Single center data from a tertiary care hospital in Germany

Objectives

The unexpected global overload of the health system during COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in management of acute appendicitis worldwide. Whereas conservative treatment was widely recommended, the appendicectomy remained standard therapy in Germany. We aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on treatment routine for acute appendicitis at University Hospital of Magdeburg.

Methods

Adult patients with clinical and/or radiological diagnosis of acute appendicitis were included in the single center retrospective study. Data was collected to patient demographics, treatment modality and outcomes including morbidity and length of stay. The patient data related to COVID-19 period from March 22, 2020 to December 31, 2021 (649 days) were compared to the Non-COVID-19 period from June 12, 2018 to March 21, 2020 (649 days). Subgroup analysis related to conservative or surgical treatment has been performed.

Results

A total of 385 patients was included in the study, 203 (52.73 %) during Non-COVID-19 period and 182 (47.27 %) during COVID-19 period. Mean age of entire collective was 43.28 years, containing 43.9 % female patients (p=0.095). Conservative treatment was accomplished in 49 patients (12.7 % of entire collective), increasing from 9.9 % to 15.9 % during COVID-19 period (p=0.074). Laparoscopic appendicectomy was performed in 99.3 % (n=152) of operated patients during COVID-19 period (p=0.013), followed by less postoperative complications compared to reference period (23.5 % vs. 13.1 %, p=0.015). The initiation of antibiotic therapy after the diagnosis increased from 37.9 % to 53.3 % (p=0.002) during COVID-19 period regardless the following treatment modality. Antibiotic treatment showed shorter duration during pandemic period (5.57 days vs. 3.16 days, p<0.001) and it was given longer in the conservative treatment group (5.63 days vs. 4.26 days, p=0.02). The overall length of stay was shorter during COVID-19 period (4.67 days vs. 4.12 days, p=0.052) and in the conservative treatment group (3.08 days vs. 4.47 days, p<0.001). However, the overall morbidity was lower during the COVID-19 period than before (17.2 % vs. 7.7 %, p=0.005) and for conservative therapy compared to appendicectomy (2 % vs. 14.3 %, p=0.016). There was no mortality documented.

Conclusions

According to our findings the COVID-19 pandemic had a relevant impact on treatment of acute appendicitis, but it was possible to maintain the traditional diagnostic and treatment pathway. Although laparoscopic appendicectomy remains a recommended procedure, the conservative treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis with excellent short-term outcome can be a safe alternative to surgery during potential new wave of COVID-19 pandemic and in the daily routine.