Abstract
BackgroundThe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has extraordinarily impacted global healthcare. Neuro-oncological surgery units have peculiar features that make them highly relevant in the strategic reaction to the pandemic. In this Chinese Society of Neuro-Oncology (CSNO) initiated survey, we appraise the changes implemented in neuro-oncological surgery hospitals across different Asian countries and provide expert recommendations for responses at different stages of the pandemic.MethodsWe performed a 42-question survey of the early experience of neuro-oncological surgery practice in hospitals across different Asian countries on April 1, 2020, with responses closed on April 18, 2020.Results144 hospitals completed the questionnaire. Most were in WHO post-peak phase of the pandemic and reported a median reduction in neuro-oncological surgery volume of 25–50%. Most (67.4%) resumed elective surgery in only COVID-19 negative patients;11.1% performed only emergency cases irrespective of COVID-19 status;2.1% suspended all surgical activity. Ninety-one (63.2%) relocated personnel from neurosurgery to other departments. Fifty-two (36.1%) hospitals suspended post-operative adjuvant therapy and 94 (65.2%) instituted different measures to administer post-operative adjuvant therapy. Majority (59.0%) of the hospitals suspended research activity. Most (70%) respondents anticipate that current neurosurgery restrictions will continue to remain for > 1 month.ConclusionsMajority of the respondents to our survey reported reduced neuro-oncological surgery activity, policy modification, personnel reallocation, and curtailment of educational/research activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The persistent widespread interruption of surgical neuro-oncology in even post-peak phases of the pandemic raises serious concerns about the long-term impact of the pandemic on neuro-oncological patients and highlights the essence of timely measures for pandemic preparedness, patient triage, and workforce protection.
Highlights
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has extraordinarily impacted global healthcare
In this Chinese Society of Neuro-Oncology (CSNO) initiated survey, we aimed to quantitatively evaluate the experience and adjustments implemented to date at different neuro-oncological surgery hospitals in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
By acquiring data from a broad representation of neuro-oncological surgery hospitals at different phases of the pandemic, we provide expert recommendations relating to neuro-oncological surgery planning and preferred responses at each stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and other potential infectious diseases
Summary
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has extraordinarily impacted global healthcare. Neuro-oncological surgery units have peculiar features that make them highly relevant in the strategic reaction to the pandemic. In this Chinese Society of Neuro-Oncology (CSNO) initiated survey, we appraise the changes implemented in neuro-oncological surgery hospitals across different Asian countries and provide expert recommendations for responses at different stages of the pandemic. The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has extraordinarily impacted healthcare systems on a global scale, Including the practice of neuro-oncological surgery [1,2,3]. The extensive surge in demand for prolonged ventilator use, spacing, personal protective equipment (PPE) and the reallocation of neuro-oncological surgery personnel in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has obstructed routine practice of neuro-oncological surgery internationally. Surgery cannot be deferred in such patients due to their susceptibility to infection
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