Dataset of the vascular e-Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic (EL-COVID) survey.

This dataset supports the findings of the vascular e-Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic survey (the EL-COVID survey). The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union was taken into consideration in all steps of data handling. The survey was approved by the institutional ethics committee of the Primary Investigator and an online English survey consisting of 18 questions was developed ad-hoc. A bilingual English-Mandarin version of the questionnaire was developed according to the instructions of the Chinese Medical Association in order to be used in mainland People's Republic of China. Differences between the two questionnaires were minor and did affect the process of data collection. Both questionnaires were hosted online. The EL-COVID survey was advertised through major social media. All national and regional contributors contacted their respective colleagues through direct messaging on social media or by email. Eight national societies or groups supported the dissemination of the EL-COVID survey. The data provided demographics information of the EL-COVID participants and an insight on the level of difficulty in accessing or citing previously attended online activities and whether participants were keen on citing these activities in their Curricula Vitae. A categorization of additional comments made by the participants are also based on the data. The survey responses were filtered, anonymized and submitted to descriptive analysis of percentage.

A scoping review on the changes in vascular surgical practice during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound effect on the delivery of vascular surgery to patients around the world. In order to conserve resources and reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, many institutions have postponed or cancelled surgical procedures. In this scoping review, we aim to review current literature and recapitulate the significant changes in elective and emergency vascular surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted this scoping review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews. We included all articles that had reported the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on elective or emergency vascular surgery. A total of 28 articles were included in this scoping review. We identified eight distinct themes that were relevant to our study topic. We report global, regional, and local data on vascular surgical cases. We also discuss the adoption of vascular surgery triage systems, emergence of global collaborative vascular surgery research groups, increased use of endovascular techniques and locoregional anesthesia, delayed presentation of vascular surgery conditions, and poorer outcomes of patients with chronic limb threatening ischemia. This scoping review provides a snapshot of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elective and emergency vascular surgery.

Vascular e-Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The EL-COVID Survey.

BACKGROUND: The corona virus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has radically changed the possibilities for vascular surgeons and trainees to exchange knowledge and experience. The aim of the present survey is to inventorize the e-learning needs of vascular surgeons and trainees as well as the strengths and weaknesses of vascular e-Learning. METHODS: An online survey consisting of 18 questions was created in English, with a separate bilingual English-Mandarin version. The survey was dispersed to vascular surgeons and trainees worldwide through social media and via direct messaging from June 15, 2020 to October 15, 2020. RESULTS: Eight hundred and fifty-six records from 84 different countries could be included. Most participants attended several online activities (>4: n = 461, 54%; 2-4: n = 300, 35%; 1: n = 95, 11%) and evaluated online activities as positive or very positive (84.7%). In deciding upon participation, the topic of the activity was most important (n = 440, 51.4%), followed by the reputation of the presenter or the panel (n = 178, 20.8%), but not necessarily receiving accreditation or certification (n = 52, 6.1%). The survey identified several shortcomings in vascular e-Learning during the pandemic: limited possibility to attend due to lack of time and increased workload (n = 432, 50.5%), no protected/allocated time (n = 488, 57%) and no accreditation or certification, while technical shortcomings were only a minor problem (n = 25, 2.9%). CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic vascular e-Learning has been used frequently and was appreciated by vascular professionals from around the globe. The survey identified strengths and weaknesses in current e-Learning that can be used to further improve online learning in vascular surgery.

The incidence of pulmonary thromboembolism in COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a meta-analysis and meta-regression of observational studies.

OBJECTIVES: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is associated with a prothrombotic state. We performed a meta-analysis of proportions to estimate the weighted average incidence of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in COVID-19 patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: We searched various medical databases for relevant studies from 31 December 2019 till 30 September 2020. We included observational studies that reported the incidence of PTE in COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU. We extracted data related to study characteristics, patient demographics, and the incidence of PTE. Risk of bias was assessed by using the ROBINS-I tool. Statistical analysis was performed with R 3.6.3. RESULTS: We included 14 studies with a total of 1182 patients in this study. Almost all patients in this meta-analysis received at least prophylactic anticoagulation. The weighted average incidence of PTE was 11.1% (95% CI 7.7% to 15.7%, I2 = 78%, Cochran's Q test P < 0.01). We performed univariate and multivariate meta-regression, which identified the proportion of males as a significant source of heterogeneity (P = 0.03, 95% CI 0.00 to - 0.09) CONCLUSION: The weighted average incidence of PTE remains high even after prophylactic anticoagulation. PTE is a significant complication of COVID-19 especially in critically ill patients in the ICU.

Experience from a Singapore tertiary hospital with restructuring of a vascular surgery practice in response to national and institutional policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Singapore was one of the first countries to be affected by COVID-19, with the index patient diagnosed on January 23, 2020. For 2 weeks in February, we had the highest number of COVID-19 cases behind China. In this article, we summarize the key national and institutional policies that were implemented in response to COVID-19. We also describe in detail, with relevant data, how our vascular surgery practice has changed because of these policies and COVID-19. We show that with a segregated team model, the vascular surgery unit can still function while reducing risk of cross-contamination. We explain the various strategies adopted to reduce outpatient and inpatient volume. We provide a detailed breakdown of the type of vascular surgical cases that were performed during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare it with preceding months. We discuss our operating room and personal protective equipment protocols in managing a COVID-19 patient and share how we continue surgical training amid the pandemic. We also discuss the challenges we might face in the future as COVID-19 regresses.