Examining the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the operative volumes of US general surgery residents.

BACKGROUND: In March 2020, the COVID-19 virus global pandemic forced healthcare systems to institute regulations including the cancellation of elective surgical cases, which likely decreased resident operative experience. The objective of this study was to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected operative experiences of US general surgery residents. METHODS: The operative experience of general surgery residents was examined nationally and locally. Aggregate Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) case logs for 2018 to 2019 (pre-COVID) and 2019 to 2020 (COVID) graduates were compared using national mean cumulative operative volume for total major and surgeon chief cases. Locally, ACGME case logs were used to analyze the operative experience among residents at a single, academic center. Average operative volumes per month per resident during peak COVID-19 quarantine months were compared with those the previous year. RESULTS: Compared with 2019 graduates, 2020 graduates completed 1.5% fewer total major cases (1055 ± 155 vs 1071 ± 150, P = .011). This was most evident during chief year, with 8.4% fewer surgeon chief cases logged in 2020 compared with 2019 (264 ± 67 vs 289 ± 69, P < .001). Institutional data revealed that during the peak of the pandemic, residents across all levels completed 42.5% fewer total major operations (12 ± 11 vs 20 ± 14, P < .001). This effect was more pronounced among junior residents compared with senior and chief residents. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with decreased resident case volume. The ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic for operative competency and autonomy should be carefully examined.

Power of the collective: A review of multimodal internet-based surgical education resources in the 21st century.

Electronic resources have changed surgical education in the 21st century. Resources spanning from digital textbooks to multiple choice question banks, online society meetings, and social media can facilitate surgical education. The COVID pandemic drastically changed the paradigm for education. The ramifications of Zoom lectures and online surgical society meetings will last into the future. Educators and learners can be empowered by the many available electronic resources to enhance surgical training and education.

Impact of lockdown on emergency general surgery during first 2020 COVID-19 outbreak.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and analyze the impact of lockdown strategy due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on emergency general surgery (EGS) in the Milan area at the beginning of pandemic outbreak. METHODS: A survey was distributed to 14 different hospitals of the Milan area to analyze the variation of EGS procedures. Each hospital reported the number of EGS procedures in the same time frame comparing 2019 and 2020. The survey revealed that the number of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020 was reduced by 19% when compared with 2019. The decrease was statistically significant only for abdominal wall surgery. Interestingly, in 2020, there was an increase of three procedures: surgical intervention for acute mesenteric ischemia (p = 0.002), drainage of perianal abscesses (p = 0.000285), and cholecystostomy for acute cholecystitis (p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: During the first COVID-19 pandemic wave in the metropolitan area of Milan, the number of patients operated for emergency diseases decreased by around 19%. We believe that this decrease is related either to the fear of the population to ask for emergency department (ED) consultation and to a shift towards a more non-operative management in the surgeons 'decision making' process. The increase of acute mesenteric ischaemia and perianal abscess might be related to the modification of dietary habits and reduction of physical activity related to the lockdown.

Survey of Social Media Use for Surgical Education During Covid-19.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of social media platforms by medical students, surgical trainees, and practicing surgeons for surgical education during the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: An online, 15-question survey was developed and posted on Facebook and WhatsApp closed surgeon groups. RESULTS: The online survey was completed by 219 participants from South America (87%), North America (7%), Europe (5%), Central America, and Asia. Respondents included medical students (6.4%), surgical residents/fellows (24.2%), and practicing surgeons (69.4%). The most common age group was 35-44 years. When asked which social media platforms they preferred, the video sharing site YouTube (33.3%), the messaging app WhatsApp (21%), and "other" (including videoconferencing sites) (22.3%) were most popular. Respondents reported using social media for surgical education either daily (38.4%) or weekly (45.2%), for an average of 1-5 hours/week. Most (85%) opined that surgical conferences that were cancelled during the pandemic should be made available online, with live discussions. CONCLUSION: Social media use for surgical education during Covid-19 appears to be increasing and evolving.

A single-centre observational cohort study to evaluate volume and severity of emergency general surgery admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic: Is there a "lockdown" effect?

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in NHS surgical service provision, including reduced elective surgical and endoscopic activity, with only essential emergency surgery being undertaken. This, combined with the government-imposed lockdown, may have impacted on patient attendance, severity of surgical disease, and outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible 'lockdown' effect on the volume and severity of surgical admissions and their outcomes. METHODS: Two separate cohorts of adult emergency general surgery inpatient admissions 30 days immediately before (February 16, 2020 to March 15, 2020), and after UK government advice (March 16, 2020 to April 15, 2020). Data were collected relating to patient characteristics, severity of disease, clinical outcomes, and compared between these groups. RESULTS: Following lockdown, a significant reduction in median daily admissions from 7 to 3 per day (p < 0.001) was observed. Post-lockdown patients were significantly older, frailer with higher inflammatory indices and rates of acute kidney injury, and also were significantly more likely to present with gastrointestinal cancer, obstruction, and perforation. Patients had significantly higher rates of Clavien-Dindo Grade ≥3 complications (p = 0.001), all cause 30-day mortality (8.5% vs. 2.9%, p = 0.028), but no significant difference was observed in operative 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: There appears to be a "lockdown" effect on general surgical admissions with a profound impact; fewer surgical admissions, more acutely unwell surgical patients, and an increase in all cause 30-day mortality. Patients should be advised to present promptly with gastrointestinal symptoms, and this should be reinforced for future lockdowns during the pandemic.

Overall management of emergency general surgery patients during the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis of procedures and outcomes from a teaching hospital at the worst hit area in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To assess how the COVID-19 outbreak has affected emergency general surgery (EGS) care during the pandemic, indications for surgery, types of procedures, perioperative course, and final outcomes. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of EGS patients during the pandemic period. The main outcome was 30-day morbidity and mortality according to severity and COVID-19 infection status. Secondary outcomes were changes in overall management. A logistic regression analysis was done to assess factors predictive of mortality. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-three patients were included. Half of the patients with an abdominal ultrasound and/or CT scan had signs of severity at diagnosis, four times higher than the previous year. Non-COVID patients underwent surgery more often than the COVID group. Over 1/3 of 100 operated patients had postoperative morbidity, versus only 15% the previous year. The most common complications were septic shock, pneumonia, and ARDS. ICU care was required in 17% of patients, and was most often required in the SARS-CoV-2-infected group, which also had a higher morbidity and mortality. The 30-day mortality in the surgical series was of 7%, with no differences with the previous year. The strongest independent predictors of overall mortality were age > 70 years, ASA III-IV, ESS > 9, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Non-operative management (NOM) was undertaken in a third of patients, and only 14% of operated patients had a perioperative confirmation of -CoV-2 infection. The severity and morbidity of COVID-19-infected patients was much higher. Late presentations for medical care may have added to the high morbidity of the series.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgical Training and Learner Well-Being: Report of a Survey of General Surgery and Other Surgical Specialty Educators.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the delivery of surgical services. The purpose of this communication was to report the impact of the pandemic on surgical training and learner well-being and to document adaptations made by surgery departments. STUDY DESIGN: A 37-item survey was distributed to educational leaders in general surgery and other surgical specialty training programs. It included both closed- and open-ended questions and the self-reported stages of GME during the COVID-19 pandemic, as defined by the ACGME. Statistical associations for items with stage were assessed using categorical analysis. RESULTS: The response rate was 21% (472 of 2,196). US stage distribution (n = 447) was as follows: stage 1, 22%; stage 2, 48%; and stage 3, 30%. Impact on clinical education significantly increased by stage, with severe reductions in nonemergency operations (73% and 86% vs 98%) and emergency operations (8% and 16% vs 34%). Variable effects were reported on minimal expected case numbers across all stages. Reductions were reported in outpatient experience (83%), in-hospital experience (70%), and outside rotations (57%). Increases in ICU rotations were reported with advancing stage (7% and 13% vs 37%). Severity of impact on didactic education increased with stage (14% and 30% vs 46%). Virtual conferences were adopted by 97% across all stages. Severity of impact on learner well-being increased by stage-physical safety (6% and 9% vs 31%), physical health (0% and 7% vs 17%), and emotional health (11% and 24% vs 42%). Regardless of stage, most but not all made adaptations to support trainees' well-being. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic adversely impacted surgical training and the well-being of learners across all surgical specialties proportional to increasing ACGME stage. There is a need to develop education disaster plans to support technical competency and learner well-being. Careful assessment for program advancement will also be necessary. The experience during this pandemic shows that virtual learning and telemedicine will have a considerable impact on the future of surgical education.

Do We Really Know How Much the Covid-19 Pandemic Affected the Surgical Practice in Northern Italy? A Multi-Center Comparative Study and Cost Analysis.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic in Northern Italy has slowed down the clinical surgical activity. A system of hub and spoke hospitals was set up to take care of oncological patients with the consequent almost complete abolition of the elective surgical activity for non-oncological pathologies. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the surgical volumes of 4 different non academic general hospitals in Lombardy belonging to 4 different provinces. The quarter March April May 2019 was compared with the same period of 2020. All different procedures were listed. The cost analysis was performed using the DRG system. Results: In the four hospitals involved the surgical procedures reduced from 1903 to 350 with a drop of the 81.6%. Procedures for cancer from 403 to 161 with a drop of 60.1%. Procedures for benign disease from 1310 to 118 with a drop of the 91%. Emergencies from 190 to 71 with a drop of the 62.6%. State refund for the procedures performed from 6.708.023 to 1.678.154 with a drop of 75%. Conclusions: Elective surgery was dramatically impaired by the Covid-19 pandemic. Above all procedures for non oncological and non urgent patients were particularly affected. In view of a possible second wave of the pandemic, the surgical planning must select patients not only on onco logical criteria but rather on clinical ones. An ad hoc hub and spoke hospitals pathway has to be implemented for benign surgical diseases by whoever is facing the Covid pandemic at its spike.

Changes in Emergency General Surgery During Covid-19 in Scotland: A Prospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Covid-19 has had a significant impact on all aspects of health care. We aimed to characterise the trends in emergency general surgery at a district general hospital in Scotland. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed from 23/03/20 to 07/05/20. All emergency general surgery patients were included. Demographics, diagnosis and management were recorded along with Covid-19 testing and results. Thirty-day mortality and readmission rates were also noted. Similar data were collected on patients admitted during the same period in 2019 to allow for comparison. RESULTS: A total of 294 patients were included. There was a 58.3 per cent reduction in admissions when comparing 2020 with 2019 (85 vs 209); however, there was no difference in age (53.2 vs 57.2 years, p = 0.169) or length of stay (4.8 vs 3.7 days, p = 0.133). During 2020, the diagnosis of appendicitis increased (4.3 vs 18.8 per cent, p = < 0.05) as did severity (0 per cent > grade 1 vs 58.3 per cent > grade 1, p = < 0.05). The proportion of patients undergoing surgery increased (19.1 vs 42.3 per cent, p = < 0.05) as did the mean operating time (102.4 vs 145.7 min, p = < 0.05). Surgery was performed in 1 confirmed and 1 suspected Covid-19 patient. The latter died within 30 days. There were no 30-day readmissions with Covid-19 symptoms. CONCLUSION: Covid-19 has significantly impacted the number of admissions to emergency general surgery. However, emergency operating continues to be needed at pre-Covid-19 levels and as such provisions need to be made to facilitate this.

Cadaverless anatomy: Darkness in the times of pandemic Covid-19.

The pandemic Covid-19 is responsible for a major education crisis globally and has a drastic impact on medical training as well. The objective of the present study was to envision the present and future impact of Covid-19 on anatomy learning and research. The virtual education is the only mode of teaching in current scenario. Every anatomist is unlocking technology to deliver best education however understanding of the subject without dissections or other practical teaching aids like bones, specimens, embryology models, microscopic slides etc. is challenging. This approach misses the feel and human visual impacts. Potential educational disruption is felt currently and will be experienced even after the pandemic is over due to scarcity of cadavers. As the body donor may be carrier or died of Covid-19 and there is no proven screening to rule out this infection in donor, so the acceptance of body donations is not advisable for the safety of medical students and health care workers. To conclude, anatomy education is cadaverless currently due to Covid-19 lockdown and it is prophesied that after the pandemic, real cadavers will be replaced by virtual cadavers because of paucity of cadavers. Research in the field of anatomy will also be adversely affected.