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Rahman M, Serna-Trejos J S, Higuera-Cetina C I, Chavarro-Gomez J C, Aristizabal M F, Solarte-Martinez B. Management of acute appendicitis in emergency departments during pandemic times: who are the most affected, children or adults?. J Surg Trauma 2021; 9 (4) :135-137
URL: http://jsurgery.bums.ac.ir/article-1-302-en.html

COVID-19 was the most important public health problem in the world during the years 2020 - 2021 . Its appearance and rapid global expansion caused an abrupt change in the management of diseases in all medical departments, due to the risk of contagion and death . The outcomes of acute surgical pathologies have been one of the main questions due to organizational modifications in hospitals, in order to control the dynamics of emergency and critical care for COVID-19 patients, leaving aside the approach and control of the surgical disease burden. Fear of infection, long distances, confinement, socioeconomic problems, and institutional restrictions were some of the aspects that most affected the flow of patients with diseases other than COVID-19, leading to delays in care. Appendicitis is the leading cause of acute surgical abdomen worldwide, occurring in approximately 10% of the population. Its age range of presentation is between 5 and 45 years, with male predominance. Considering the variability of the symptomatology, the rapidly progressive deterioration, and the limitations in the access to timely surgical services, its early diagnosis and management are indispensable. The delay in the management of this pathology constitutes an increase in the risk of perforation and peritonitis, which in turn can lead to sepsis and death. Considering the heterogeneity of the behavior of the pandemic among the different continents, and the response of the health systems and the community to this public calamity, it is not known with certainty which age group was the most affected with respect to appendicitis during this period of time.