TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of the novel coronavirus infection on pediatric surgery
T2 - an analysis of data from the National Clinical Database
AU - Ise, Kazuya
AU - Tachimori, Hisateru
AU - Fujishiro, Jun
AU - Tomita, Hirofumi
AU - Suzuki, Kan
AU - Yamamoto, Hiroyuki
AU - Miyata, Hiroaki
AU - Fuchimoto, Yasushi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2024.
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic limited the delivery of medical resources. Although surgeries are triaged according to disease severity and urgency, a delay in diagnosis and surgery can be detrimental. We conducted this study to analyze data on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric surgery for different diseases or disorders. Methods: We compiled and compared data on pediatric surgical cases from 2018 to 2020, using the National Clinical Database. The number of diseases, severity, complication rates, mortality rates by disease/disorder, and the COVID-19 pandemic areas were analyzed. Results: The total number of cases of pediatric surgery in 2018, 2019, and 2020 was 50,026, 49,794, and 45,621, respectively, reflecting an 8.8% decrease in 2020 from 2018 and an 8.4% decrease in 2020 from 2019. A decrease was observed when the number of patients with COVID-19 was high and was greater in areas with a low infection rate. There was a marked decrease in the number of inguinal hernia cases. The number of emergency room visits and emergency surgeries decreased, but their relative proportions increased. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic decreased the number of pediatric surgeries, reflecting the limitations of scheduled surgeries and infection control measures.
AB - Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic limited the delivery of medical resources. Although surgeries are triaged according to disease severity and urgency, a delay in diagnosis and surgery can be detrimental. We conducted this study to analyze data on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric surgery for different diseases or disorders. Methods: We compiled and compared data on pediatric surgical cases from 2018 to 2020, using the National Clinical Database. The number of diseases, severity, complication rates, mortality rates by disease/disorder, and the COVID-19 pandemic areas were analyzed. Results: The total number of cases of pediatric surgery in 2018, 2019, and 2020 was 50,026, 49,794, and 45,621, respectively, reflecting an 8.8% decrease in 2020 from 2018 and an 8.4% decrease in 2020 from 2019. A decrease was observed when the number of patients with COVID-19 was high and was greater in areas with a low infection rate. There was a marked decrease in the number of inguinal hernia cases. The number of emergency room visits and emergency surgeries decreased, but their relative proportions increased. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic decreased the number of pediatric surgeries, reflecting the limitations of scheduled surgeries and infection control measures.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Japan
KW - National Clinical Database
KW - Pediatric surgery
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85185116470&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85185116470&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00595-024-02792-3
DO - 10.1007/s00595-024-02792-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 38349404
AN - SCOPUS:85185116470
SN - 0941-1291
VL - 54
SP - 847
EP - 856
JO - Surgery today
JF - Surgery today
IS - 8
ER -