Background COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in the presentation and treatment of surgical pathologies. Therefore, we aim to describe the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the clinical presentation and management of acute appendicitis (AAp) and its surgical outcomes. Study design A multicenter cohort study with prospectively collected databases. Three high-volume centers were included and all patients over 18 years of age who underwent appendectomy for AAp were included. Multiple logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression were performed, and odds ratio, relative risk, and B-coefficient were reported when appropriate, statistical significance was reached with p-values < 0.05. Results 1.468 patients were included (709 in the pre-pandemic group and 759 in the COVID-19 group). Female patients constituted 51.84%. Mean age was 38.13 ± 16.96 years. Mean Alvarado’s score was 7.01 ± 1.59 points. Open surgical approach was preferred in 90.12%. Conversion rate of 1.29%. Mortality rate was 0.75%. There was an increase of perforated and localized peritonitis (p 0.01) in the COVID-19 group. Presence of any postoperative complication (p 0.00), requirement of right colectomy and ileostomy (p 0.00), and mortality (p 0.04) were higher in the COVID-19 group. Patients in the pre-pandemic group have a lesser risk of mortality (OR 0.14, p 0.02, 95% CI 0.02–0.81) and a lesser relative risk of having complicated appendicitis (RR 0.68, p 0.00, 95% CI 0.54–0.86). Conclusion Complicated appendicitis was an unexpected consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to surgical consultation delay, increased rates of morbidity, associated procedures, and mortality, influencing the clinical course and surgical outcomes of patients with AAp.

Background Since Gagner performed the first laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 1992, laparoscopy has become the gold-standard procedure in the treatment of adrenal surgical diseases. A review of the literature indicates that the rate of intra- and postoperative complications are not negligible. This study aims to describe the single-center experience of adrenalectomies; and explore the associations between body mass index (BMI) and tumor volume in main postoperative outcomes. Methods Retrospective observational study with a prospective database in which we described patients who underwent adrenalectomy between January 2015 and December 2020. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, conversion rate, complications, length of hospital stay, and comparison of the number of antihypertensive drugs used before and after surgery were analyzed. Analysis of BMI and tumor volume with postoperative outcomes such as anti-hypertensive change (AHC) in drug usage and pre-operative conditions were performed. Results Forty-five adrenalectomies were performed, and all of them were carried out laparoscopically. Four were performed as a robot-assisted laparoscopy approach. Nineteen were women and 26 were men. Mean age was 54.9 ± 13.8 years. Mean tumor volume was 95.698 mm3 (3.75–1010.87). Mean operative time was shorter in right tumors (2.64 ± 0.75 h) than in left tumors (3.33 ± 2.73 h). Pearson correlation was performed to assess the relationship between BMI and AHC showing a direct relationship between increased BMI and higher change in anti-hypertensive drug usage at postoperative period r(45) = 0.92, p > 0.05 CI 95%. Higher tumor volume showed a longer operative time, r(45) = 0.6 (p = 0.000 CI 95%). Conclusions Obese patients could have an increased impact with surgery with an increased change in postoperative anti-hypertensive management. Tumor volume is associated with increased operative time and blood loss, our data suggest that it could be associated with increased rates of morbidity. However, further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate our results.