Abstract
Background: It has become clear that healthcare workers are at high risk, and otolaryngology has been theorized to be among the highest risk specialties for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose of this study was to detail the international impact of COVID-19 among otolaryngologists, and to identify instructional cases. Methods: Country representatives of the Young Otolaryngologists–International Federation of Otolaryngologic Societies (YO-IFOS) surveyed otolaryngologists through various channels. Nationwide surveys were distributed in 19 countries. The gray literature and social media channels were searched to identify reported deaths of otolaryngologists from COVID-19. Results: A total of 361 otolaryngologists were identified to have had COVID-19, and data for 325 surgeons was available for analysis. The age range was 25 to 84 years, with one-half under the age of 44 years. There were 24 deaths in the study period, with 83% over age 55 years. Source of infection was likely clinical activity in 175 (54%) cases. Prolonged exposure to a colleague was the source for 37 (11%) surgeons. Six instructional cases were identified where infections occurred during the performance of aerosol-generating operations (tracheostomy, mastoidectomy, epistaxis control, dacryocystorhinostomy, and translabyrinthine resection). In 3 of these cases, multiple operating room attendees were infected, and in 2, the surgeon succumbed to complications of COVID-19. Conclusion: The etiology of reported cases within the otolaryngology community appear to stem equally from clinical activity and community spread. Multiple procedures performed by otolaryngologists are aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) and great care should be taken to protect the surgical team before, during, and after these operations. © 2020 ARS-AAOA, LLC
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1201-1208 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Int. Forum Allergy Rhinol. |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Keywords
- aerosol generating procedures (AGPs)
- coronavirus
- COVID-19
- morbidity
- mortality
- otolaryngology
- personal protective equipment (PPE)
- physicians
- adult
- aerosol generating procedure
- age distribution
- aged
- Article
- community acquired infection
- coronavirus disease 2019
- dacryocystorhinostomy
- epistaxis
- female
- head and neck surgeon
- head and neck surgery
- hospital infection
- human
- major clinical study
- male
- mastoidectomy
- middle aged
- mortality rate
- neurosurgeon
- occupational exposure
- otolaryngologist
- priority journal
- surgeon
- tracheostomy
- translabyrinthine resection
- virus pneumonia
- virus transmission
- adverse event
- aerosol
- Betacoronavirus
- Coronavirus infection
- ear nose throat surgery
- occupational health
- pandemic
- questionnaire
- register
- very elderly
- Adult
- Aerosols
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Coronavirus Infections
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Occupational Health
- Otolaryngologists
- Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures
- Pandemics
- Pneumonia, Viral
- Registries
- Surgeons
- Surveys and Questionnaires