Research Article

The Impact of COVID 19 on Oral Surgery Post-Operative Patient Complications and Communications Within the Oral Surgery Department at the Eastman Dental Hospital

Shree Patel
The Eastman Dental Hospital, UK
* Corresponding author
Sonita Koshal
The Eastman Dental Hospital, UK
Onkar Mudhar
The Eastman Dental Hospital, UK
DOI icon 10.24018/ejdent.2021.2.6.107

Read Counter
223

Downloads
280

Citations

Share

Article Sidebar

Submitted 2021-10-14
Published 2021-11-09

Read counter = 223 times

Table of Contents

Article Main Content

Introduction: A rise in post-operative complications (POCs) was observed following the second national lockdown due to the ongoing Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This prompted our Oral Surgery Department to investigate this to understand why this increase had occurred.

Aim: To evaluate the rise in POCs at The Eastman Dental Hospital Oral Surgery Department during and after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Materials and methods: A two cycle audit to assess the effect of the restrictions and ease imposed by lockdown on the number of POCs reported within the department.

Results: A spike in POCs was observed during the second lockdown. Following the ease of these restrictions, POCs reduced by half.

Discussion: As lockdown eased, the number of patient’s contacting the department following surgical procedures significantly reduced. Did the pandemic cause patients to become more observant with regards to their post-operative site?

Conclusions: COVID-19 has had a lasting effect amongst our society and healthcare professionals are seeing not only the physical detriment but also the mental effects on our patients. We must ask if the increase in our POCs be caused by underlying “health anxiety” amongst members of the general public and if so, how can it be overcome?

Keywords: Anxiety, COVID-19 & Post-operative Complication

References

  1. Dallaserra M, Poblete F, Vergara C, Cortés R, Araya I, Yanine N, Villanueva J., Infectious postoperative complications in oral surgery. An observational study, Journal of clinical and experimental dentistry, 2020 Jan;12(1):e65.
     Google Scholar
  2. Rakhshan V., Common risk factors for postoperative pain following the extraction of wisdom teeth, Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 2015 Apr 1;41(2):59-65.
     Google Scholar
  3. Qiu J., Shen B., Zhao M., Wang Z., Xie B., Xu Y., A nationwide survey of psychological distress among Chinese people in the COVID-19 epidemic: implications and policy recommendations, General psychiatry, 2020;33(2).
     Google Scholar
  4. Vindegaard N, Benros M. E., COVID-19 pandemic and mental health consequences: Systematic review of the current evidence, Brain, behavior, and immunity, 2020 Oct 1;89:531-42.
     Google Scholar
  5. Sønderskov K. M., Dinesen P. T., Santini Z. I., Østergaard S. D., The depressive state of Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic, Actaneuropsychiatrica, 2020 Aug;32(4):226-8.
     Google Scholar
  6. Li S., Wang Y., Xue J., Zhao N., Zhu T., The impact of COVID-19 epidemic declaration on psychological consequences: a study on active Weibo users, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020 Jan;17(6):2032.
     Google Scholar
  7. Holmes E. A., O'Connor R. C., Perry V. H., Tracey I., Wessely S., Arseneault L., Ballard C., Christensen H., Silver R. C., Everall I., Ford T., Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science, The Lancet Psychiatry,2020 Jun 1;7(6):547-60.
     Google Scholar
  8. Weekly statistics for NHS Test and Trace (England) and coronavirus testing (UK): 5 November to 11 November [Internet]. GOV.UK. 2021 [cited 14 October 2021]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-test-and-trace-england-and-coronavirus-testing-uk-statistics-5-november-to-11-november/weekly-statistics-for-nhs-test-and-trace-england-and-coronavirus-testing-uk-5-november-to-11-november.
     Google Scholar
  9. Appukuttan D. P., Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: literature review, Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dentistry, 2016;8:35.
     Google Scholar