Impact of COVID-19 on Day-Case Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in England
Author Information
Author(s): Faraz M Ayyaz, Joyner J, Cheetham M, Briggs TWR, Gray WK
Primary Institution: NHS England and NHS Improvement
Hypothesis
The study investigates the safety of day-case laparoscopic cholecystectomy and its association with recovery of surgical activity post COVID-19.
Conclusion
The South West region of England has shown better recovery of elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy activity compared to other regions, highlighting the importance of increasing day-case rates.
Supporting Evidence
- 65.3% of the procedures were day-case surgeries.
- By December 2022, activity levels returned to 88.2% of prepandemic levels.
- The South West region had the highest recovery rate at 97.3%.
Takeaway
This study shows that many patients can safely have their gallbladder removed in a day, which helps hospitals get back to normal after COVID-19.
Methodology
Retrospective observational study using Hospital Episodes Statistics data from 2019 to 2022.
Potential Biases
Potential collider bias due to the nature of the data collection.
Limitations
The retrospective design limits causality establishment and there are concerns about the consistency of the HES data set.
Participant Demographics
Patients included were adults aged 17 and older undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.019
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.00 to 1.10
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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