• Jacopo Galli, Stefano Settimi, Laura Tricarico, Giovanni Almadori, and Gaetano Paludetti.
• Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A.Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
• Head Neck. 2020 Jul 1; 42 (7): 1466-1470.

IntroductionFor the EARs NOSE AND THROAT (ENT) surgeon, there are many challenges that show-up in the clinical management of a patient affected by a head and neck cancer during COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the postoperative period.MethodsDuring the acute COVID-19 emergency phase in Italy, we analyzed the management of a patient affected by a head and neck cancer. We reported several clinical data about the hospitalization period, pointing out the difficulties encountered both from clinical and management point of view.ResultsDuring pandemic, we admitted 27 oncological patients at our ENT Department. Delays in surgical procedures, complications of hospitalizations, need for radiological studies, and possible transfer to other hospital ward, due to suspect SARS-CoV-2 infection, were registered.ConclusionsThe changes in the whole health care system during the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the management of patients with head and neck cancer, generating several clinical challenges for the ENT surgeon.© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

48 keywords...

hide…