Johan Drott C, Sandblom G, Österberg J, Rogmark P, Enochsson L
Lakartidningen 119 (-) - [2022-06-20; online 2022-06-20]
The covid-19 pandemic has necessitated reallocation of health care resources. This has raised concerns about the risks associated with postponing surgery for benign conditions that are given low priority. Data from the population-based Swedish National Register for Gallstone Surgery (GallRiks) show that the total number of procedures carried out during the initial months of each wave of the pandemic decreased. This was followed by a moderate increase in the number of procedures performed for acute cholecystitis, biliary pancreatitis, and obstructive jaundice. The consequences of the delayed surgery in the community at large and how this has affected health-related quality of life for patients having their procedure postponed remain to be evaluated, but so far it does not seem to have caused a major impact on public health.
PubMed 35723571
pii: 21230