[Impact of COVID-19 on gallbladder disease: presentation of postponed surgeries].

Abstract

Introduction: Since the COVID-19 outbreak escalated to pandemic levels, numerous hospitals deferred elective interventions. Studies reporting the incidence, presentation, severity, and outcomes in the surgical management of biliary diseases differ before, during and after the pandemic.

Objective: Evaluate the presentation of biliary pathology by diagnosis and Parkland Grading Scale in patients whose surgeries were postponed due to the pandemic, and who were later surgically intervened.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted. Patients with biliary pathology who had a scheduled cholecystectomy canceled during the pandemic were included. Student's t-test and Chi-Square tests were employed for statistical analysis.

Results: A total of 520 patients were evaluated, cholelithiasis was the most common diagnosis in 74.4%. Grade III on the Parkland Grading Scale (PGS) was the most prevalent at 43.7%. Significant differences were observed between genders (p = 0.000) and emergency versus elective surgeries (p = 0.000) in relation to the PGS. Hospitalization duration also exhibited a statistically significant difference between emergency and elective surgeries (p = 0.000).

Conclusion: Most patients presented a Grade III on the PGS, reflecting a one-level increase compared to pre-pandemic literature prevalence. More studies are needed to evaluate the real impact of the pandemic on biliary pathology.