The Impact of COVID-19 on the Provision of Adult Cardiac Surgery at a Dedicated COVID Hospital in Australia – DocWire News

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Heart Lung Circ. 2021 Jul 3:S1443-9506(21)01041-6. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2021.06.446. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Internationally, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in fewer cardiac surgical procedures being performed and an increase in the proportion of non-elective cases. To date there has been no study examining the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of cardiac surgery in Australia.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the provision of cardiac surgery in a single, large major cardiac centre and dedicated COVID-19 hospital. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken utilising prospectively collected data.

METHODS: Prospectively collected patient and operative data was examined to assess whether there was a reduction in the number of cases performed and whether there was a difference in patient demographics, surgical procedures or case urgency. Data was examined from the period of COVID-restrictions in 2020 and compared with data from the same time period in 2019.

RESULTS: From 3 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, 136 adults underwent cardiac surgery at our institution, representing an overall reduction in operative caseload of 21%. The largest impact was noticed in May and April and coincided with statewide restrictions on elective surgery. Surgical acuity was unchanged with 58% of operations classified as non-elective procedures performed during the index admission. There was a small non-significant increase in the proportion of isolated coronary artery bypass surgery and aortic valve surgeries performed.

CONCLUSION: From March to June 2020 our local hospital response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a reduction in cardiac surgery service delivery. No change was seen in the urgency or type of surgeries performed.

PMID:34272184 | DOI:10.1016/j.hlc.2021.06.446

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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Provision of Adult Cardiac Surgery at a Dedicated COVID Hospital in Australia - DocWire News