To assess the incidence of perforated appendicitis during the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for healthcare systems in managing future waves.
Key Findings:
In 2020, 44.68% of patients with acute appendicitis had perforations compared to 22.22% in 2018 and 30.23% in 2019 (p = 0.039). This indicates a significant increase in severity during the pandemic.
No correlation was found between SARS-CoV-2 infections and appendicitis.
Interpretation:
The increase in perforated appendicitis cases during the first wave of COVID-19 suggests that patients delayed seeking medical contact due to fear of virus exposure, highlighting the need for public health initiatives to encourage timely medical care.
Limitations:
Single-center study may limit generalizability, as results may not reflect broader trends.
Retrospective design may introduce bias, affecting the reliability of the findings.
Conclusion:
Surgeons and healthcare institutions should prepare for more complicated cases of appendicitis in future COVID-19 waves, emphasizing the need for intensive monitoring, readiness for complications, and public health strategies to encourage timely medical intervention.
