ENT surgical emergencies during the COVID-19 outbreak

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread public health and healthcare system changes.
• Restrictive measures impacted routine care and surprisingly reduced emergency activity.
• Italian government's COVID-19 outbreak response included significant social distancing and lockdowns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in otolaryngology (ENT) surgical emergencies.
• To analyze ENT emergency activity during the COVID-19 pandemic in southern Italy.
• To compare ENT emergency interventions before and during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Multicentre retrospective study design.
• Data collected from three major hospitals in a populous southern Italian district.
• Comparison of ENT emergency data from February 1–May 31, 2020, with the same period in 2019.

Main Results:

• A substantial reduction in ENT emergency interventions was observed in 2020 compared to 2019.
• The decrease was particularly notable during the peak lockdown phase.
• The tertiary referral center experienced a significant drop in ENT emergency procedures.

Conclusions:

• Reduced ENT emergency interventions are only partially explained by social distancing.
• Fear of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection may have deterred patients from seeking care.
• Findings highlight the need for adaptable health system responses to prolonged public health transitions.