Open AccessImpact of COVID-19 on Elective Surgical Lists in Otorhinolaryngology: An Overview
Author(s) -
Memon Afzal,
Tabassum Aziz,
Nausheen Qureshi,
Sundas Masood,
Fatima Shahid,
Asmara Hussain
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of rawalpindi medical college/journal rawalpindi medical college
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1683-3570
pISSN - 1683-3562
DOI - 10.37939/jrmc.v25i1.1513
Subject(s) - medicine , otorhinolaryngology , covid-19 , elective surgery , surgical procedures , pandemic , medical emergency , general surgery , surgery , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , pathology
Objective: To study how the COVID-19 is affecting the treatment and management of other ailments. Try to find a strategy to resume elective OR lists.Introduction: We overviewed the effect of COVID-19 on the elective surgical lists of otorhinolaryngology in the ENT Department of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi.Materials and Methods: The data from Jan 2020 to July 2020 was collected. It is a descriptive study analyzing the data, 3 months before and 3 months after the imposition of lockdown in the whole of Pakistan due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. The data was collected from the operation dating register of OPD and elective operative lists of ENT OT. Data were analyzed by Microsoft excel spreadsheet version 7. Results: There was an overall 92% decrease in the elective surgical procedures done in the ENT dept. of Holy family Hospital during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The procedures done in the COVID lockdown period were mostly emergency procedures and lifesaving procedures.Conclusion: COVID-19 has badly impacted the elective surgical procedures and in turn the health of the patients presenting to ENT OPD with various diseases which were treated surgically before COVID lockdown.Recommendations: To prevent this from happening again during the 2nd wave of COVID-19, we could opt for multiple precautionary measures to avoid the spread of infection and continue the provision of our surgical services to the patients.