ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 resulted in Regional tiered restrictions being introduced across the UK with subsequent implications for planned and emergency surgical care. Specific to Merseyside, Tier 4, Tier 2 and Tier 5 restrictions were introduced in late 2020 and early 2021. The purpose of this study was to examine the nature and workload of emergency urological procedures during three different national lockdown Tiers in the North West of England. METHOD: A 3-month prospective study examining all emergency urological activity was conducted from November 2020 when Tier 4 restrictions were introduced and included Tier 2 restrictions in December and then concluded at the end of January 2021 when Tier 5 restrictions were in place. Data was obtained by identifying patients using the electronic theatre listing system. RESULTS: A total of 71 emergency cases were performed (24 in November (Tier 4), 28 in December (Tier 2), 19 in January 2021 (Tier 5)) with 15 different types of procedures performed. The most frequently performed procedure was stent insertion (36), followed by scrotal exploration (10). The least commonly performed procedure was suprapubic catheter insertion under general anaesthesia (1). One patient required transfer to a different hospital. In total 6 calls were made by general surgery and 3 by gynaecology for urgent urological assistance in theatre. Three urology patients returned to the theatre as emergencies following elective procedures. CONCLUSION: Unlike the Spring lockdown, acute urological presentations requiring operative intervention still presented daily. Of the 71 cases performed, most occurred in Tier 2. Stent insertion was the most commonly performed procedure, with the majority of the cases performed by registrars.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Many countries have begun immunization programs and established protocols to combat pandemics caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Six months after vaccination, the antibody titers produced by the immunization begin to decline, and individuals whose first immunization (either one or two doses) did not provide adequate protection may require a booster dose. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey of 18-year-olds and older was undertaken in the West Bank from June 15 to June 27, 2022. Each participant had 5 mL of blood drawn to be tested for IgG-S, IgG-N, and blood group. Results: All participants had positive IgG-S results; IgG-S values ranged between 77 and 40,000 AU/ml, with a mean value of 1254 AU/ml. The value of IgG-N ranged from 0 to 139.3 U/ml for all participants, with a mean value of 22.4 U/ml. 64 (37.2%) of the participants demonstrated positive IgG-N screening results, with mean values of 51.2 U/ml. Female participants' mean IgG concentration was higher than male participants. Furthermore, the results revealed that smokers had lower levels of vaccine-induced antibodies than nonsmokers. High significance was found in the time from the last vaccine till the blood sample test (T = 3.848, P < .001), and the group between 6 and 9 months was found to have higher mean values than the 9-months group (M = 15952). Conclusions: Participants vaccinated with a higher number of vaccines tend to have higher IgG-S. To elevate total antibodies, booster doses are essential. Additional researchers are needed to examine the positive correlation between IgG-S and IgG-N.