Head & neck
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The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been spreading worldwide at an alarming rate. Health-care workers have been confronted with the challenge of not only treating patients with the virus, but also managing the disruption of health-care services caused by COVID-19. ⋯ The head and neck cancer service has been faced with the difficult task of managing the balance between infection risk to health-care providers and the risk of disease progression from prolonged waiting times. We share our experience in Hong Kong on the mitigation of head and neck cancer service disruption through telehealth and multi-institution collaboration.
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Management of head and neck cancers (HNC) in radiation oncology in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era is challenging. Aim of our work is to report organization strategies at a radiation therapy (RT) department in the first European area experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Adequate and well-timed organization allowed for the optimization of HNC patients balancing at the best of our possibilities patients' care and personnel's safety.
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Otolaryngologists represent a subset of health care workers uniquely vulnerable to COVID-19 transmission. Given the segmentation of extant guidelines concerning precautions and protective equipment for SARS-CoV2, we aimed to provide consolidated recommendations regarding appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in head neck surgery during the COVID-19 era. ⋯ We present a series of situation-specific recommendations for PPE use and other procedural precautions for otolaryngology providers to consider in the COVID-19 era.
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a major public health crisis. The diagnostic and containment efforts for the disease have presented significant challenges for the global health-care community. ⋯ Oral health-care providers are at an elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to their proximity to nasopharynx of patients, and the practice involving the use of aerosol-generating equipment. Here, we summarize the general guidelines for oral health-care specialists for prevention of nosocomial transmission of COVID-19, and provide specific recommendations for clinical care management.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Tracheostomy intervention in intubated COVID positive patients: A survey of current clinical practice among ENT surgeons.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented need for critical care intervention. Prolonged intubation and mechanical ventilation has resulted in the need for tracheostomy in some patients. The purpose of this international survey was to assess optimal timing, technique and outcome for this intervention. ⋯ The results of this brief survey suggest that tracheostomy is of benefit in selected patients. There was insufficient data to suggest improved outcomes with either percutaneous vs an open surgical technique.