Impact of COVID-19 on elective, emergency and oncological surgery during the first and the second wave in a tertiary university hospital: Have we learned the lessons?

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic caused an important reduction in surgical activities during the first wave. Aim of this retrospective time-trend analysis was to examine whether also during the second wave in fall and winter 2020/2021 surgical interventions decreased. METHODS: Absolut numbers and types of surgeries in a tertiary university hospital during the second COVID-19 wave in fall/winter 2020/2021 were collected from the surgical planning software and compared with the same time frame over the last 5 years. In a second step, the reduction of surgical interventions during the second wave was compared with the reduction of surgical procedures during the first wave in spring 2020 at the same hospital. RESULTS: Despite a higher 7‑day incidence of COVID-19 infection and a higher number of patients needing ICU treatment during the second wave, the reduction of surgical interventions was 3.22% compared to 65.29% during the first wave (p < 0.0001). Elective surgical interventions decreased by 88.63% during the first wave compared to 1.79% during the second wave (p < 0.0001). Emergency and oncological interventions decreased by 35.17% during the first wave compared to 5.15% during the second wave (p : 0.0007) and 47.59% compared to 3.89% (p < 0.0001), respectively. Surgical activity reduction in our institution was less pronounced despite higher occupancy of ICU beds during the second COVID-19 wave in fall/winter 2020/2021. CONCLUSION: Better understanding of the disease, adequate supply of disposables and improved interdisciplinary day by day management of surgical and ICU resources may have contributed to this improvement.