The impact of the pandemic on neurosurgical services: A study from a coronavirus disease 2019 referral hospital in Surakarta

Abstract

Background: A decrease in hospital visits including neurosurgery cases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been reported by many countries. This study aims to reveal important data regarding the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has on services, neurosurgical surgery, and inpatients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This comparative study compares neurosurgical services, neurosurgical patients, outpatient visits, and monthly inpatients assessed from January to December 2020 (onset of the pandemic) with those of the same period in 2019. Results: The average number of outpatient visits per month during the pandemic (January to December 2020) was 369 visits per month, compared to 397 visits in the same period in the previous year. The lowest outpatient visits occurred in May 2020 with 227 outpatient visits. There was a decrease in the number of neurosurgical patients in January-December during the pandemic period compared to the same period in 2019. A significant decrease in outpatients during and before the pandemic was noted with P = 0.046 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There are differences in the number of visits by outpatients, neurosurgical patients, and inpatients during the pandemic compared to the period before the onset of the pandemic.

Will the high acceptance rate of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine in Morocco accelerate the recovery of neurosurgical practice?

“…[ 14 , 30 ] In developing countries including Morocco, where there is a chronic shortage of neurosurgeons, nurses or other skilled health workers, any additional pressure on health-care systems arising from the looming pandemic becomes almost unmanageable. [ 11 , 23 , 29 ] Many of the recommendations published by other neurosurgical centers could not be achieved given the local limitations and resources. [ 16 ] According to a survey about how Africa’s neurosurgical community has been affected by COVID-19, only 52 (16.5%) of the respondents stated they had a specific COVID-19 neurosurgery policy and only 49% felt that their response plans were satisfactory for their neurosurgical services.…”

Surgery Department during Coronavirus Disease 2019 Virus Universitas Sebelas Maret to Sebelas Maret University

“…In this study, all eight surgery departments had undergone the protocol, followed the American College of Surgeons and the hospital SOP [11]. A study conducted by Setyono et al observed neurosurgery department in Moewardi Hospital found that the number of inpatients, neurosurgical patients, and outpatients decrease compares with 2019 and 2020 [5]. Surgical procedures are teamwork; all health workers involved have a role in carrying out an operation, from registration, outpatient consultation, hospitalization, radiological investigations and examinations, anesthetic procedures, definitive surgery, post-operative care, and sanitation and disinfection measures for this virus.…”

“…Dr. Moewardi Regional General Hospital has supporting facilities for handling COVID such as intensive care unit, isolation ward for patient with infectious diseases, tertiary referral hospital, and the main academic affiliated hospital of the Sebelas Maret University, Faculty of Medicine, Surakarta. The hospital provides a high volume of health-care services for a wide range of many cases [5].…”

The Effect of the Covid-19 Free Operation Path Protocol on the Incidence of Lung Complications in Postoperative Elective Patients at dr. Moewardi Hospital Surakarta

“…11,12,17 Research comparing the availability of a COVID-19-free operation route with the unavailability of a COVID-19free operating route found that the post-operative patient SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was lower level in the COVID-19-free operation route. 12,18,19 It should be noted that COVID-19 infection without a COVID-19free surgical route in post-operative patients is around 5% with a mortality rate of 25%. However, this infection and mortality rate can drop to 0% with the COVID-19free operating route.…”

“…11 In other research of emergency orthopedic patients during the pandemic period from January to December 2020 decreased compared to visits in the same period in 2019 so that orthopedic services at tertiary and academic referral hospitals experienced a significant decrease in cases. 18 However, it is necessary to carry out a follow-up review regarding the variations in lung complications that occur in this research study, both in the period before and during the pandemic.…”