Vascular Surgery Research in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Sex-Based Bibliometric Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted vascular surgery services globally and its impact on researchers has illustrated disproportionate barriers for female researchers. We assessed the pandemic's consequences on bibliometric trends in vascular surgery and vascular medicine throughout the pandemic. METHODS: A scoping review was performed using the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and EMBASE databases from January to December 2020 to identify articles related to COVID-19 and vascular surgery or vascular medicine. Articles only describing cardiac or neurovascular care were excluded. The scoping review was performed according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Bibliometric data were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: Four hundred and fourteen articles were identified, including 125 (30.2%) original articles, 42 (10.1%) review papers, 105 (25.4%) case reports, 27 (6.5%) editorials and commentaries, 94 (22.7%) letters and correspondences, and 21 (5.1%) conference abstracts. The 5 most common countries of study or discussion were all high-income countries. English was the predominant (n = 393, 94.9%) language. Funding was reported for 5.1% (n = 21) of articles. In the first 6 months, 17.6% (n = 30) of first authors and 10.6% (n = 18) of last authors were female, while the last 6 months saw an increase in representation to 30.6% (n = 74) and 15.6% (n = 38) for first and last author, respectively. CONCLUSION: The pandemic caused a rapid surge in vascular publications related to COVID-19. Female authors remain underrepresented in vascular research and the share in female authorship has dropped early in the pandemic, but rose after the end of the first wave. High-income countries remain overrepresented in research productivity, alluding to important disparities in COVID-19-related literature.

The international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response: same story, different times?

In November, dozens of nations and the WHO will draft the international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response. Will the treaty be the needed change in global health equity or are we doomed to repeat history?

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on wellness among vascular surgeons.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed significant strain on the health and welfare of all health care professionals, including vascular surgeons. This review summarizes the implications of the pandemic on the health and wellness of surgeons and trainees, with a particular focus on those in vascular surgery (VS). A literature review was completed using common resource databases. We provide a brief history of burnout in VS and explore burnout and wellness in VS during this unprecedented pandemic. We then offer recommendations to address mental health needs by the VS workforce and highlight opportunities to address the gaps in the literature. The impact of COVID-19 on the professional and personal lives of surgeons and trainees in VS is notable. More than half of vascular surgeons reported some degree of anxiety. Factors associated with anxiety and burnout include COVID-19 exposure, moral injury, practice changes, and financial impacts. Trainees appeared to have more active coping strategies with dampened rates of anxiety compared to those in practice. Women appear to be disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with higher rates of anxiety and burnout. Groups underrepresented in medicine seemed to have more resilience when it came to burnout, but struggled with other inequities in the health care environment, such as structural racism and isolation. Strategies for addressing burnout include mindfulness practices, exercise, and peer and institutional support. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial mental health impact on the VS workforce globally, as shifts were made in patient care, surgical practice, and work-home life concerns.

COVID-19 pandemic: a time for collaboration and a unified global health front.

Coronavirus disease 2019 has, in the span of weeks, immobilized entire countries and mobilized leading institutions worldwide in a race towards treatments and preventions. Although several solutions such as telemedicine and online education platforms have been implemented to reduce human contact and further transmission, countries need to favour collectivism both within and beyond their borders. Inspired by experiences of previous outbreaks such as SARS in 2003 and Ebola in 2014-2015, global solidarity is a must in order to prevent further morbidity and mortality. Examples in leadership and collaborations ranging from research funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to mask donations by the Jack Ma Foundation should be celebrated as examples to follow. Open communication and transparency will be crucial in monitoring the evolution of the disease in the global effort of flattening the curve. This crisis will challenge the integrity and fuel innovation of health systems worldwide, whilst posing a new quality chasm that warrants increased recognition.

Emergency and essential surgical healthcare services during COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries: A Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant changes in health care systems worldwide, with low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) sustaining important repercussions. Specifically, alongside cancellation and postponements of non-essential surgical services, emergency and essential surgical care delivery may become affected due to the shift of human and material resources towards fighting the pandemic. For surgeries that do get carried through, new difficulties arise in protecting surgical personnel from contracting SARS-CoV-2. This scarcity in LMIC surgical ecosystems may result in higher morbidity and mortality, in addition to the COVID-19 toll. This paper aims to explore the potential consequences of COVID-19 on the emergency and essential surgical care in LMICs, to offer recommendations to mitigate damages and to reflect on preparedness for future crises. Reducing the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on LMIC emergency and essential surgical services can be achieved through empowering communities with accurate information and knowledge on prevention, optimizing surgical material resources, providing quality training of health care personnel to treat SARS-CoV-2, and ensuring adequate personal protection equipment for workers on the frontline. While LMIC health systems are under larger strain, the experience from previous outbreaks may aid in order to innovate and adapt to the current pandemic. Protecting LMIC surgical ecosystems will be a pivotal process in ensuring that previous health system strengthening efforts are preserved, comprehensive care for populations worldwide are ensured, and to allow for future developments beyond the pandemic.