Riding the waves: the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on a national surgical training cohort.

Background: The World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic on the 11 March 2020 resulting in implementation of methods to contain viral spread, including curtailment of all elective and non-emergent interventions. Many institutions have experienced changes in rostering practices and redeployment of trainees to non-surgical services. Examinations, study days, courses, and conferences have been cancelled.

The impact of COVID-19 on emergency surgical presentations in a university teaching hospital.

Introduction: The Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a 50-70% reduction in acute non-COVID-19 presentations to emergency departments globally.

Aim: To determine the impact of COVID-19 on incidence, severity, and outcomes of acute surgical admissions in an Irish University teaching hospital.

Methods: Descriptive data concerning patients presenting with acute appendicitis, diverticulitis, and cholecystitis were analysed and compared from March-May 2020 to March-May 2019.

Closed incision negative pressure therapy: Results of recent trials and recommendations for clinical practice.

Background: Open abdominal surgery is associated with high rates of wound complications . Surgical site infection (SSI) is associated with prolonged length of stay, delayed treatment and high rates of readmission . Negative pressure wound therapy over closed incisions (ciNPWT) is a novel approach to prevention of SSI.

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding resulting from small bowel neoplasia; A case series.

Introduction: Undiagnosed gastrointestinal bleeding may originate in the small bowel. This presents a diagnostic challenge despite the advancement in contemporary imaging. We report two cases which highlight the limitations of routine investigation for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Utilisation of critical care services for surgical patients in a model three hospital.

Background: The demand for intensive care unit (ICU) beds in the surgical population has increased in recent years. This is due to increased complexity of operative interventions, development of critical care services and improved availability of technologies. The number of beds in ICUs nationwide remains limited.

Testicular torsion in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

We present a 19-year-old man with a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and a delayed presentation of testicular torsion. EDS is a rare and heterogeneous condition affecting collagen synthesis and presents multiple difficulties in a surgical setting. Management of this case of testicular torsion was complicated by impaired cognition of the patient, difficulty with intubation, a contralateral undescended testis and postoperative bleeding.