Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-5767
Authors: Dotzauer, Robert
Böhm, Katharina
Brandt, Maximilian Peter
Sparwasser, Peter
Haack, Maximilian
Frees, Sebastian Karl
Kamal, Mohamed Mostafa
Mager, René
Jäger, Wolfgang
Höfner, Thomas
Tsaur, Igor
Haferkamp, Axel
Borgmann, Hendrik
Title: Global change of surgical and oncological clinical practice in urology during early COVID-19 pandemic
Online publication date: 25-Oct-2021
Year of first publication: 2021
Language: english
Abstract: OBJECTIVES While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic captures healthcare resources worldwide, data on the impact of prioritization strategies in urology during pandemic are absent. We aimed to quantitatively assess the global change in surgical and oncological clinical practice in the early COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS In this cross-sectional observational study, we designed a 12-item online survey on the global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical practice in urology. Demographic survey data, change of clinical practice, current performance of procedures, and current commencement of treatment for 5 conditions in medical urological oncology were evaluated. RESULTS 235 urologists from 44 countries responded. Out of them, 93% indicated a change of clinical practice due to COVID-19. In a 4-tiered surgery down-escalation scheme, 44% reported to make first cancellations, 23% secondary cancellations, 20% last cancellations and 13% emergency cases only. Oncological surgeries had low cancellation rates (%): transurethral resection of bladder tumor (27%), radical cystectomy (21–24%), nephroureterectomy (21%), radical nephrectomy (18%), and radical orchiectomy (8%). (Neo)adjuvant/palliative treatment is currently not started by more than half of the urologists. COVID-19 high-risk-countries had higher total cancellation rates for non-oncological procedures (78% vs. 68%, p = 0.01) and were performing oncological treatment for metastatic diseases at a lower rate (35% vs. 48%, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic has affected clinical practice of 93% of urologists worldwide. The impact of implementing surgical prioritization protocols with moderate cancellation rates for oncological surgeries and delay or reduction in (neo)adjuvant/palliative treatment will have to be evaluated after the pandemic.
DDC: 610 Medizin
610 Medical sciences
Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Department: FB 04 Medizin
Place: Mainz
ROR: https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI: http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-5767
Version: Published version
Publication type: Zeitschriftenaufsatz
License: CC BY
Information on rights of use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Journal: World journal of urology
39
Pages or article number: 3139
3145
Publisher: Springer
Publisher place: Berlin u.a.
Issue date: 2021
ISSN: 1433-8726
Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-020-03333-6
Publisher DOI: 10.1007/s00345-020-03333-6
Appears in collections:JGU-Publikationen

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