Early institutional head and neck oncologic and microvascular surgery practice patterns across the United States during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID19) pandemic

Abstract

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused rapid changes in head and neck cancer (HNC) care. “Real-time” methods to monitor practice patterns can optimize provider safety and patient care. Methods: Head and neck surgeons from 14 institutions in the United States regularly contributed their practice patterns to a shared spreadsheet. Data from 27 March 2020 to 5 April 2020 was analyzed. Results: All institutions had significantly restricted HNC clinic evaluations. Two institutions stopped free-flap surgery with the remaining scheduling surgery by committee review. Factors contributing to reduced clinical volume included lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) (35%) and lack of rapid COVID-19 testing (86%). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a reduction in HNC care. Rapid COVID-19 testing and correlation with infectious potential remain paramount to resuming the care of patients with head and neck cancer. Cloud-based platforms to share practice patterns will be essential as the pandemic evolves.