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Submitted: 2022-11-29
DOI: 10.35119/myjo.v5i1.356
Original Articles
Published: 2024-06-10

Time interval for emergency ophthalmic surgery in Hospital Kuala Lumpur during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic

Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Ophthalmology, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Department of Ophthalmology, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
COVID-19 pandemic emergency ophthalmic surgery Malaysia

Abstract

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to staff shortages and repurposing of health facilities, thus affecting the workflow of emergency ophthalmic surgery in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL). The objective of this audit was to ensure that there was no time delay for emergency ophthalmic surgery in HKL during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study design: Retrospective clinical audit.

Methods: Data of patients who underwent emergency ophthalmic surgery for a period of 8 months in HKL were collected from the operation theatre records and patient medical records of HKL.

Results: A total of 49 patients underwent emergency ophthalmic surgery from May 2020 to December 2020. There was male 34 male patients (69%) and the majority of patients belonged to the age group of 21–30 years. Most of the cases were sight-threatening (80%), which included ocular trauma, vitreoretinal cases, and evisceration. Meanwhile, non-sight threatening cases comprised eyelid/conjunctival laceration, iris repositioning, and glaucoma surgery. Most of the surgeries (36%) were performed within 6 hours of admission/decision for surgery. Only 4% of surgeries were delayed more than 24 hours. A vitreoretinal case was delayed for 26 hours due to presence of electrocardiogram changes and hypokalaemia. The second case was a case of planned for evisceration for panophthalmitis and was delayed due to syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone. Both patients were referred to the medical team for stabilisation prior to surgery.

Conclusion: The cause of the delay in both patients were not due to the COVID-19 pandemic but due to medical co-morbidities. Despite the limitation of staff and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, ophthalmic emergency surgeries were carried out on appropriate timing without delay.