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. 2020 Oct;40(5):325-331.
doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N0832. Epub 2020 Sep 24.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Italian Otolaryngology Units: a nationwide study

Giuditta Mannelli  1   2 , Massimo Ralli  1   3 , Marco Bonali  1   4 , Pasquale Capasso  1   5 , Pierre Guarino  1   6 , Valeria Iannini  1   7 , Niccolò Mevio  1   8 , Gennaro Russo  1   5 , Alfonso Scarpa  1   9 , Giacomo Spinato  1   10 , Davide Topazio  1   11 , Gabriele Molteni  1   12
Affiliations

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Italian Otolaryngology Units: a nationwide study

Giuditta Mannelli et al. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2020 Oct.

Abstract
in English, Italian

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide an accurate picture of the changes which have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the contributions given by Italian Otolaryngology Units.

Methods: A 29-item questionnaire was completed and returned by 154 Otorhinolaryngology Units across Italy that investigated geographic distribution, the main changes which occurred in workload management and in clinical and surgical activities and screening procedures for COVID-19 in healthcare personnel and patients.

Results: Nearly half of the Otolaryngology Units that responded to the questionnaire were merged with other units, while 22% were converted into COVID-19 units or temporarily closed. A reduction of 8.55% in the number of team members was reported, and about 50% of the units applied uniform work shifts for all staff. Elective activities were uniformly stopped or delayed, passing from 30,295 (pre-COVID data) to 5,684 (COVID data) weekly procedures, with a mean decrease of 81.24% (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Most of the elective otolaryngology activities were suspended during the pandemic; the only procedures were for oncology and emergency patients. Italian Otolaryngologists have demonstrated a high availability to collaborate with non-surgical colleagues.

Impatto della pandemia COVID-19 sulle Unità Operative di Otorinolaringoiatria in Italia: uno studio nazionale.

Obiettivo: Fornire un quadro accurato dei cambiamenti che si sono verificati e dei contributi forniti dalle Unità di Otorinolaringoiatria italiane durante la pandemia COVID-19.

Metodi: Un questionario di 29 domande è stato completato da 154 unità. Sono stati investigati la distribuzione geografica del loro coinvolgimento, i cambiamenti di gestione del carico di lavoro e delle attività clinico-chirurgiche e le procedure di screening applicate su personale sanitario e pazienti.

Risultati: Quasi la metà delle Unità che hanno risposto sono state fuse con altre unità operative, mentre il 22% è stato convertito in unità COVID-19 o temporaneamente chiuso. È stata segnalata una riduzione dell’8,55% nel numero dei membri del gruppo di lavoro e circa il 50% dei dipartimenti ha applicato turni di lavoro per tutto il personale. Tutte le attività elettive sono state uniformemente interrotte o ritardate, passando da 30.295 (dati pre-COVID) a 5.684 (dati COVID) procedure settimanali, con una diminuzione media dell’81,24% (p < 0,001).

Conclusioni: La maggior parte delle attività elettive in otorinolaringoiatria, a parte le procedure oncologiche e di emergenza, sono state sospese. Gli otorinolaringoiatri italiani hanno dimostrato un’alta disponibilità a collaborare con i reparti di medicina.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; otolaryngology; pandemic.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Representation of the response rate to our questionnaire sorted by region. The total number of responses is reported on the abscissa axis, while the ordinate axis indicates the 20 Italian regions.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Graphical representation of (A) the distribution of COVID-19 positive cases in Italian regions (ISS, April 16, 2020); and (B) the response rate to our questionnaire sorted by the five zones identified according to the total number of cases.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Reallocation of otolaryngology team members to other departments during the pandemic.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
The number of outpatient visits, outpatient surgical procedures, and inpatient surgical procedures comparing pre-COVID and during-COVID variation.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
(A) surgical and percutaneous tracheostomies; and (B) timing of surgical tracheostomies (days after intubation).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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