Impact of COVID-19 on the Volume of Pediatric Surgery Cases in a Referral Hospital in the Al-Madina Region of Saudi Arabia

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has affected healthcare systems worldwide, leading to prioritizing resources for the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 cases. As a result, providing medical care to patients with health conditions, including pediatric surgeries, has been significantly affected. Objectives The objective of this research is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of pediatric surgeries in a referral hospital in Al-Madina, KSA. Method An observational retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in a referral hospital in the Al-Madina region of Saudi Arabia. We retrospectively reviewed all pediatric surgical records that met the inclusion criteria from March 2018 to March 2022. Results Out of the patients who underwent surgeries (5704), it was indicated that the number of patients who underwent surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic (42.7%) was less than those who underwent surgeries before the COVID-19 outbreak (57.6%). The number of patients presented to the OPD significantly increased during the COVID-19 period compared to before COVID-19. The number of emergency cases before and during COVID-19 was similar. The period between diagnosis and surgical intervention for emergency cases was significantly shortened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospital stay period significantly decreased during the pandemic. Conclusion The study found that the pandemic has caused a considerable decline in the number of pediatric surgery cases compared to the previous years. The longer observation period of this study likely allowed for a better understanding of the pandemic situation, which contributes to strengthening our understanding of the pandemic's impact on healthcare services.