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. 2020 Oct;34(10):4225-4232.
doi: 10.1007/s00464-020-07835-7. Epub 2020 Aug 4.

Surgical challenges and research priorities in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: EAES membership survey

Marco Milone  1 , Francesco Maria Carrano  2   3 , Emina Letić  4 , Andreas Shamiyeh  5 , Antonello Forgione  6 , Bang Wool Eom  7 , Beat P Müller-Stich  8 , Carmen Balagué Ponz  9 , Christos Kontovounisios  10 , Daniel Preda  11 , Dejan Ignjatovic  12 , Elisa Cassinotti  13 , Eugenia Yiannakopoulou  14 , George Theodoropoulos  15 , Gil Faria  16   17 , Luca Morelli  18 , Marguerite Gorter-Stam  19 , Sheraz Markar  20 , Thanjakumar Arulampalam  21 , Therese Velthoven  22 , Stavros A Antoniou  23 , Nader K Francis  24   25
Affiliations

Surgical challenges and research priorities in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: EAES membership survey

Marco Milone et al. Surg Endosc. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Healthcare systems and general surgeons are being challenged by the current pandemic. The European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) aimed to evaluate surgeons' experiences and perspectives, to identify gaps in knowledge, to record shortcomings in resources and to register research priorities.

Methods: An ad hoc web-based survey of EAES members and affiliates was developed by the EAES Research Committee. The questionnaire consisted of 69 items divided into the following sections: (Ι) demographics, (II) institutional burdens and management strategies, and (III) analysis of resource, knowledge, and evidence gaps. Descriptive statistics were summarized as frequencies, medians, ranges,, and interquartile ranges, as appropriate.

Results: The survey took place between March 25th and April 16th with a total of 550 surgeons from 79 countries. Eighty-one percent had to postpone elective cases or suspend their practice and 35% assumed roles not related to their primary expertise. One-fourth of respondents reported having encountered abdominal pathologies in COVID-19-positive patients, most frequently acute appendicitis (47% of respondents). The effect of protective measures in surgical or endoscopic procedures on infected patients, the effect of endoscopic surgery on infected patients, and the infectivity of positive patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery were prioritized as knowledge gaps and research priorities.

Conclusions: Perspectives and priorities of EAES members in the era of the pandemic are hereto summarized. Research evidence is urgently needed to effectively respond to challenges arisen from the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Laparoscopy; Pandemic; Surgical challenges.

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Conflict of interest statement

Marco Milone, Francesco Maria Carrano, Emina Letić, Stavros A. Antoniou, Nader K. Francis, Andreas Shamiyeh, Antonello Forgione, Bang Wool Eom, Beat Müller, Carmen Balagué Ponz, Christos Kontovounisios, Daniel Preda, Dejan Ignjatovic, Elisa Casinotti, Eugenia Yiannakopoulou, George Theodoropoulos, Gil Faria, Luca Morelli, Marguerite Gorter-Stam, Sheraz Markar, and Thanjakumar Arulampalam have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Geographically distribution of surveyed surgeons
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Gaps prioritization (grade 1–5, 5 the maximum) in the area of surgical procedures and protective measures
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Gaps prioritization (grade 1–5, 5 the maximum) in the area of resource management and protective equipment
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Gaps prioritization (grade 1–5, 5 the maximum) in the area of the safety of surgery and minimally invasive surgery
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Gap prioritization (grade 1–5, 5 the maximum) in the area of psychological support
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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