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RACS ASC 2024

The Impact of COVID-19 on Major Amputation Rates: a single centre study

Poster

Poster

Disciplines

Vascular Surgery

Presentation Description

Institution: Wollongong Hospital - NSW, Australia

Objective: This retrospective study assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on major amputations and healthcare-seeking behaviour in patients with lower limb ischemia or ulceration. Methods: Medical records from The Wollongong Hospital were analysed to compare major amputation rates during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Patient parameters and healthcare-seeking behaviour were examined. Results: No statistically significant increase in major amputations was found during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. The use of telehealth services and lockdown measures may have helped mitigate the anticipated rise. Established risk factors for amputations did not show significant associations with amputation in this study. However, patients tended to delay seeking medical attention during the pandemic, leading to longer symptom duration. Conclusion: This single-centre study suggests that major amputations did not significantly increase during the COVID-19 pandemic at The Wollongong Hospital. Telehealth services and lockdown measures may have played a role in preventing a rise in amputations. Further research on a larger scale is needed to validate these findings. Delayed healthcare-seeking during the pandemic highlights the need to consider potential implications for patients at higher risk. Future studies should address study limitations and explore the long-term impact of delayed healthcare-seeking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speakers

Authors

Authors

Dr Calyb Austin - , Dr Samuel Jansson - , Dr Callum Tate - , Dr Raeed Deen - , Dr Andrew Bullen -