Deployment of Neurosurgeons at the Warfront Against Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19)
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Published on: May 6, 2020
Tejas Venkataram1, Nishant Goyal1, Deepjyoti Kalita2
1Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India.
Insights
Neurosurgery staff deployed to a COVID-19 testing ward shared their experiences during the pandemic. Preadmission and presurgical testing are crucial for preventing healthcare worker exposure to the novel coronavirus.
Area of Science:
- Medicine
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare systems globally.
- Medical practitioners across specialties were reassigned to manage COVID-19 patients.
- This study details the experiences of neurosurgery authors working in a COVID-19 testing ward.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the experiences of neurosurgery personnel in a COVID-19 testing ward.
- To analyze patient demographics, diagnoses, and COVID-19 status within the ward.
- To highlight institutional protocols and lessons learned during the pandemic.
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational study of all admissions to a COVID-19 testing ward.
- Data collection included patient demographics, diagnoses, travel history, symptoms, and comorbidities.
- Analysis of patients who tested positive for COVID-19.
Main Results:
- 256 admissions, including 148 patients and 108 attendants.
- Most patients admitted under internal medicine (22.3%) and general surgery (12.8%).
- 8 patients (5.4% of total patients) tested positive for COVID-19, with a mean age of 37.6 years.
Conclusions:
- Sharing experiences and institutional protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Emphasizing the importance of preadmission and presurgical testing to protect healthcare workers.
- Highlighting the need for vigilance in preventing disease spread within healthcare settings.
Background:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has taken the world by storm, especially the health care system. Medical practitioners of all specialties are being assigned to treat patients of COVID-19. In this article, two authors (T.V. and N.G.) from the Department of Neurosurgery who were deployed in the COVID-19 testing ward between April 25 and May 31, 2020 share their experience.
Methods:
A prospective observational study was conducted including all those who were admitted in this ward. The patients were studied according to their demographic profiles, diagnoses, admitting departments, travel history, and presence/absence of COVID-19-related symptoms. Relevant history regarding occupation, contact with patient with known COVID-19, and comorbid illness was noted. Those who tested positive for COVID-19 were studied further. The data from the institute's official record were updated until August 14, 2020.
Results:
During the study period, there were 256 admissions in the ward, of whom 148 (92 male, 56 female) were patients and 108 were patients' attendants/relatives. Most patients were admitted under the departments of internal medicine (33, 22.3%) and general surgery (19, 12.8%). Of 148 patients, 46 (31.1%) were admitted as they were planned for a surgery/intervention. Among 148 patients, 29 (19.6%) had history of travel to or were residents of a red zone, 4 (2.7%) had history of contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, whereas 6 (4.1%) were health care workers. One hundred four patients (70.2%) showed no COVID-19-related symptoms. Thirty-four patients (22.9%) had associated comorbid conditions. Eight patients (5 male, 3 female) with mean age of 37.6 years (range 4-69 years) tested positive for COVID-19.
Conclusions:
The authors share their experience and their institute's protocol in various facets during this war against COVID-19 pandemic. Preadmission and presurgical testing of patients is important in preventing the spread of the disease amongst health care workers.
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