Effect of SARS and COVID-19 outbreaks on urology practice and training
Open Access
- 1 August 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Press in Hong Kong Medical Journal
- Vol. 27 (4), 258-265
- https://doi.org/10.12809/hkmj208822
Abstract
Introduction: The objective was to investigate the changes in urology practice during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with a perspective from our experience with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. Methods: Institutional data from all urology centres in the Hong Kong public sector during the COVID-19 pandemic (1 Feb 2020-31 Mar 2020) and a non-COVID-19 control period (1 Feb 201931 Mar 2019) were acquired. An online anonymous questionnaire was used to gauge the impact of COVID-19 on resident training. The clinical output of tertiary centres was compared with data from the SARS period. Results: The numbers of operating sessions, clinic attendance, cystoscopy sessions, prostate biopsy, and shockwave lithotripsy sessions were reduced by 40.5%, 28.5%, 49.6%, 44.8%, and 38.5%, respectively, across all the centres reviewed. The mean numbers of operating sessions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were 85.1 +/- 30.3 and 50.6 +/- 25.7, respectively (P=0.005). All centres gave priority to cancer-related surgeries. Benign prostatic hyperplasia-related surgery (39.1%) and ureteric stone surgery (25.5%) were the most commonly delayed surgeries. The degree of reduction in urology services was less than that during SARS (47.2%, 55.3%, and 70.5% for operating sessions, cystoscopy, and biopsy, respectively). The mean numbers of operations performed by residents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were 75.4 +/- 48.0 and 34.9 +/- 17.2, respectively (P=0.002). Conclusion: A comprehensive review of urology practice during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed changes in every aspect of practice.This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
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