The impact of COVID-19 epidemiological restriction guidelines measures in a Croatian tertiary colorectal cancer center

Abstract

Background: In the past six months, Croatia faced a short lockdown and a slow return to most hospitals’ everyday activities. During the lockdown, our center, as a part of the University Hospital Centre specialized for solid cancer, was enabled to maintain most of the routine practices with the one-month colonoscopy exception. Aim: To determine the oscillation in the number of endoscopies and colorectal surgery for 13 months (six months pre and post COVID-19 lockdown). Materials and methods: From August 1st, 2019, until August 31st 2020, the hospital analytics determine the number of colonoscopies, screening colonoscopies, and surgeries. Results: During the given period number of detected and operated colorectal cancers was stable, except for April, when we mostly did not perform colonoscopies. Conclusion: We maintained a pre-COVID-19 pace in colorectal cancer treatment, colonoscopies, and colorectal surgery after epidemiological guidelines for colonoscopies and colorectal surgery were applied, owing to the relatively stable overall epidemiological situation.