Outpatient proctological care in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction. Patients with chronic proctologic diseases can postpone the planned surgery in time of pandemic. However the patients are very concerned about delays in treatment. Aim. To study the features of care provision to the patients with proctologic diseases based on the chronic hemorrhoids treatment in terms of pandemic. Materials and methods. Changes in material base of medical centers and clinics, the results of their activities based on the analysis of initial visits, minimally invasive interventions and hemorrhoidectomies in terms of pandemic were analyzed. Results. The number of people who applied to coloproctologists in the analyzed time periods 2019 and 2020 was the same, 3771 and 3775 people respectively, while the number of visits to commercial clinics has increased by 13% and to municipal clinics by 10.6%. Minimally invasive interventions have been performed by 27.6%less often in the municipal clinics and by 6.9% more often in the commercial clinics. 91 hemorrhoidectomies were carried out in 2020 which is 51.1%less compared to the same period in 2019. Discussion. According to the results of initial visits analysis, outpatient proctologic care did not undergo any changes during the pandemic in the city. But worsening of epidemic situation has caused the decrease in the number of patients in April-May 2020. The decrease of minimally invasive interventions in the municipal clinics was observed in the same period. For 7 months of the pandemic the number of hemorrhoidectomies has decreased from 178 to 91 operations compared to the same period in 2019, the number of interventions corresponded to the needs of the population. Conclusion. Maintaining of sufficient level of care for patients with proctologic diseases in time of pandemic became possible due to collaborative activities of medical facilities of various ownership forms.