The negative effects of COVID-19 and national lockdown on emergency surgery morbidity due to delayed access.
Francesco A CiarleglioMarta RigoniLiliana MereuTommaso CaiAlessandro CarraraGianni MalossiniSaverio TateoGiuseppe TironeTruls E Bjerklund JohansenPier Paolo BenetolloAntonio FerroGiovanni Maria GuarreraMario GrattarolaGiandomenico NolloAlberto BrolesePublished in: World journal of emergency surgery : WJES (2021)
This article provides enhanced understanding of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient access to emergency surgical care. Our findings suggest that COVID-19 changed the quality of surgical care with poorer prognosis and higher morbidity rates. Delayed emergency department access and a "filter effect" induced by a fear of COVID-19 infection in the population resulted in only the most severe cases reaching the emergency department in time.