Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Management of Acute Cholecystitis and Assessment of the Crisis Approach: A Multicenter Experience in Egypt

Fouad, Mina M B; Rezk, Samuel S S; Saber, Arsany T; Khalifa, Ahmed; Ibraheim, Peter; Ibraheim, Sandy M N

INTRODUCTION: The covid-19 pandemic has had a drastic impact on all medical services. Acute cholecystitis is a serious condition that accounts for a considerable percentage of general surgical acute admissions. Therefore, the Royal College of Surgeons' Commissioning guidance' recommended urgent admission to secondary care and early cholecystectomy. During the first wave of hospital admissions associated with COVID-19, most guidelines recommended conservative treatment in order to limit the admission rates and free up spaces for COVID-19-infected patients. However, reviews of this approach have not been widely done to assess the results and, in turn, planning our future management approach when future pressures on in-patient admissions are inevitable. METHODS: Our study included all acute cholecystitis patients who needed surgical intervention in one Centre in the UK over three distinct periods (pre-COVID-19, during the first lockdown, and lockdown ease). Comparison between these groups were done regarding intraoperative and postoperative results. RESULTS: The conservative management led to a high rate of readmission. Moreover, delayed cholecystectomy was associated with increased operative difficulties such as extensive adhesions, intraoperative blood loss, and/or complicated gall bladder pathologies such as perforated or gangrenous gall bladder (29.9%, 16.7%, and 24.8%, respectively). The resulting postoperative complications of surgical and nonsurgical resulted in a longer hospital stay (13.5 d). CONCLUSION: The crisis approach for acute cholecystitis management failed to deliver the hoped outcome. Instead, it backfired and did the exact opposite, leading to longer hospital stays and extra burden to the patient and the healthcare system.