Retrospective observational review comparing pre- and post-COVID-19 surgical services at Mankweng Hospital

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted normal activity in the whole world. During the hard lockdown, surgical services were drastically reduced in all South African hospitals. The main objective of the study was to assess the recovery phase of surgical activity in the post-pandemic period at Mankweng Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Limpopo.

Method: A retrospective descriptive study of surgical services was done for three periods, namely pre-COVID-19, during COVID-19 and post-pandemic COVID-19. Data for the study were collected for one year from each group, from April to March, from the general surgery, orthopaedic and gynaecology departments. The pre-COVID-19 period included April 2019 to March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic period from April 2020 to March 2021, and the post-pandemic COVID-19 period from April 2023 to March 2024.

Result: The total combined operations performed from general surgery, orthopaedic and gynaecology departments during the pre-pandemic period were 2 446, during the COVID-19 pandemic period: 1 969, and during the post-pandemic period: 2 200. Department-wise, the number of operations performed in general surgery during the pre-COVID-19 period was 712, during the COVID-19 period: 657, and during post-pandemic COVID-19 period: 780. In the orthopaedics department, operations performed during the pre-COVID-19 period were 1 031, during the COVID-19 period: 912, and during the post-pandemic COVID-19 period: 752. In the gynaecology department, the number of operations performed during the pre-COVID-19 period was 703, during the COVID-19 period: 400, and during the post-pandemic COVID-19 period: 668.

Conclusion: The recovery phase of the post-pandemic COVID-19 surgical service was not adequate in comparison to the pre-COVID-19 period, particularly for orthopaedic operations. It is of paramount importance that a drastic plan be made to increase theatre utilisation.