A comparison of the effects of acute abdomen during the COVID-19 outbreak under declaring emergency situation Pranangklao hospital Nonthaburi province

Abstract

Background: The covid 19 outbreak affects the public health system.  In the surgical department, the general surgery unit of Phranangklao Hospital, it was found that the number of patients who came to see a doctor with acute abdomen had decreased during the announcement of the emergency situation in April 2020.  Therefore , it is the hypothesis that limiting social distances and outing activities during the emergency declaration can affect patients of acute abdomen.Objective: To compare the impact of the acute abdomen before the COVID-19 epidemic  and during the outbreak with the assumption that the two periods had different effects.Method: This was a retrospective collection of medical records in patients with abdominal surgical emergencies during April 2019 and patients with abdominal surgical  emergencies throughout April 2020 of the Phranangklao Hospital.Results:  Surgical disease has a reduced number of cases during the covid epidemic period and has a p-value of 0.002. The treatment decision-making has reduced the number of patients but was not significant. The waiting time for surgery was increased during epidemic periods, while the waiting time for ERCP was reduced but not significantly. The length of stay in the diseases with surgical or non-surgical treatment increased while the length of stay in the condition requiring surgery and ERCP decreased during the outbreak, but not significantly.Conclusion: The COVID-19 outbreak by limiting social distance and limiting outing activities impact acute abdomen, with reduced numbers compared to before the outbreak.  But this was not affecting the decision on the treatment method, waiting time for surgery or ERCP, and length of stay.