Essential surgery definitions vary globally during COVID-19

A scoping review analyzed 85 articles to define essential surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing critical insights from high-income and low- to middle-income countries. Both groups agreed on the urgency of procedures addressing immediate life threats, yet significant discrepancies emerged in areas like urology and gynecology. The study underscores the necessity for international, resource-stratified guidelines that consider healthcare context and facilitate ethical surgical triage, emphasizing timely surgical interventions to prevent mortality and preserve patient function.