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Impact of COVID-19 on small biopsy diagnostic procedures and cancer resection surgeries in the North-West of Ireland

Abstract

Aims To quantify the impact of COVID-19 on small biopsy procedures and cancer resection surgeries in the North-West of Ireland.

Methods Data was obtained from the Histopathology Departments of University Hospital Galway (UHG) and Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) Laboratory Information Systems to establish the impact of COVID-19 on both the small biopsy (coded P01) and cancer resection (coded P03) caseloads reported from January to June 2020, with comparison made to January to June 2019.

Results From January to June 2020 compared with January to June 2019, UHG had an overall decrease of 714 P01 cases (21.5%) and a decrease of 152 P03 cases (14.4%). In this time, LUH had an increase of 9 P01 cases (0.8%) but a decrease of 48 P03 cases (58.5%).

Conclusions There has been a significant impact on the provision of both diagnostic and therapeutic services in North-West of Ireland due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • COVID-19
  • pathology
  • surgical
  • pathology department
  • hospital

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