Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on trauma theatre efficiency

Abstract

Introduction A large transformation in the management of trauma has ensued following the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. There has been an increase in reliance on guidance for decision-making and alterations in the working of the trauma theatre. This has largely been due to the safety measures implemented. Theatre efficiency has gained increasing importance over the years, and with the added pressure of the pandemic, it is essential that trauma theatres operate efficiently. There has been no data analysing the efficiency of trauma theatre during this pandemic. Methods and Results We retrospectively analyzed the data at our hospital and looked into the parameters to assess trauma theatre efficiency. It was noted that the operative time and anaesthetic time went up significantly in 2020 in comparison to 2019. Also, the change over time and the late start time was significantly high in 2020. A large proportion of cases did not start on time in 2020. This resulted in a decrease in the efficiency of theatre usage. Discussion Reduced productivity of the trauma theatre has been due to several reasons, many of which include implementation of safety measures, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), theatre cleaning, recovery of patients, using designated routes for transfer, and many others. The challenge lies in applying these new measures into our daily practice at the same time while providing efficient care. Conclusion Our study highlights the key areas of concern and improvement which need to be addressed in order to render effective trauma care