Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients suffering from musculoskeletal tumours.
Int Orthop
; 44(8): 1503-1509, 2020 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-996368
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on musculoskeletal tumor service by conducting an online survey of physicians.METHODS:
The survey was conducted among the members of the ISOLS (International Society of Limb Salvage) and the EMSOS (European Musculo-Skeletal Oncology Society). The survey consisted of 20 questions (single, multiple-response, ranked) origin and surgical experience of the participant (four questions), potential disruption of healthcare (12 questions), and influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the particular physician (four questions). A matrix with four different response options was created for the particular surgical procedures).RESULTS:
One hundred forty-nine physicians from five continents completed the survey. Of the respondents, 20.1% and 20.7% stated that surgery for life-threatening sarcomas were stopped or delayed, respectively. Even when the malignancy was expected to involve infiltration of a neurovascular bundle or fracture of a bone, still 13.8% and 14.7% of the respondents, respectively, stated that surgery was not performed. In cases of pending fractures of bone tumors, 37.5 to 46.2% of operations were canceled.CONCLUSION:
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic caused a significant reduction in healthcare (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy) for malignancies of the musculoskeletal system. Delaying or stopping these treatments is life-threatening or can cause severe morbidity, pain, and loss of function. Although the coronavirus disease causes severe medical complications, serious collateral damage including death due to delayed or untreated sarcomas should be avoided.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Sarcoma
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Pandemics
/
Betacoronavirus
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Language:
English
Journal:
Int Orthop
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S00264-020-04636-4
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