Effect of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on planned and emergency hernia repair in Sweden: a register-based study.

Purpose: The COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the health care delivery in Sweden, including deprioritization of benign surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on emergency and planned hernia repair in Sweden.

Methods: Data on hernia repairs from January 2016 to December 2021 were retrieved from the Swedish Patient Register using procedural codes.