A Comparative Study on Changes in Postoperative Care of Patients Undergoing Emergency Surgeries in a Tertiary Care Centre between COVID and Non-COVID Patients
Kaviya Kamaraja
Department of General Surgery, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Thandalam, Chennai, India.
S. Rajesh *
Department of General Surgery, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Thandalam, Chennai, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: To observe and analyze changes in postoperative management between COVID and non- COVID patients who undergo emergency surgeries in a tertiary care hospital in Kanchipuram, Chennai.
Objective: To analyze the postoperative care and compare the hospital stay, incision, drugs used and other system complications between COVID and non-Covid patients.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study of 40 subjects who came to the general surgery department for emergency procedures were studied. The study duration was 4 months. The exclusion criteria were obstetric and orthopaedic emergencies and patients between the age of 16 years and above 60 years. All the emergencies in the general surgery department were done under anaesthesia.
Results: The postoperative outcome between the subjects who were COVID positive and negative was quite similar but an increased postoperative stay due to delay in wound healing was observed. This was not found to be directly caused by the COVID infection but mostly due to the drugs used in its management and the patient’s comorbidities and lifestyle choices.
Keywords: COVID19, emergency surgery, laparoscopy