The Impact of Covid-19 on Surgical Training and Outcomes: A Multicenter Experience (Greece and Romania)

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to health systems worldwide-in delivering care to patients and in maintaining training of their care providers. Surgical specialties have particularly struggled to maintain sufficient levels of training as we have seen significant reductions in the number of surgical beds, operating lists and redeployment of surgical staff to COVID-19 departments or Intensive Treatment Units. Methods. Comparison of the number of surgical operations performed between January 1st 2019 and December 31st 2020 in 3 surgical departments in Romania (Craiova, Timisoara and Bucharest) and 1 surgical department in Thessaloniki, Greece. Cases were compared on a month to month basis, both elective and emergency operations were included and divided into three main categories based on severity (Minor, Medium, Major). Results. Between 2019 and 2020, there was a 37.04% decrease in the number of surgical procedures, 36.95% for open procedures and 37.20% for laparoscopic procedures. Statistically significant overall reduction was observed in all three centers for both open and laparoscopic operations. In all centers, a statistically significant reduction in medium severity procedures was also observed. Conclusion. Globally felt detrimental effect on surgical training, patient contact and mental well-being reflected similarly across surgical specialties in both countries.