Acute appendicitis during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in a local cluster: A retrospective cohort study

Introduction

Acute appendicitis is a common surgical emergency. This study aims to determine whether there are any delays in patients attending the emergency department, potentially leading to an increase in the rates of complicated appendicitis and post-operative complications during the fifth wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in a local cluster in Hong Kong.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we analysed 138 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and pre-COVID-19 period. The main study parameters were the duration between the onset of symptoms and attendance to the accident and emergency department, severity of appendicitis, post-operative complication(s), operation time and total hospital length of stay.

Results

There was no delay in presentation between the two groups of patients. The rates of complicated appendicitis and post-operative complications were comparable between the two groups. There was a significantly shorter length of stay for patients with acute appendicitis patients during the fifth wave of the pandemic.

Conclusion

The perspective of the general public towards the COVID-19 pandemic is changing. Increased understanding of the COVID-19 infection and availability of antiviral medications against COVID-19 could be useful to eliminate patient's anxiety when attending medical care in public hospitals.