The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on head and neck cancer practice - tertiary health care center experience

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 has changed practice patterns of head and neck oncology services, as well as other service areas of health care.This study aims to describe the impact of COVID-19 on the services of the division of otorhinolaryngology, head and neck surgery at an academic tertiary referral hospital specialized in oncology.This is a single-center descriptive study conducted within the otorhinolaryngology department of a tertiary health care institution, which mainly provided service to oncological cases during the pandemic.Methods: Data of cases over 18 years old on the numbers of outpatient visits, hospitalizations, otorhinolaryngological surgeries, and indications were obtained from March 1 to May 15 for 2019 and 2020 from hospital information management system.Data on preoperative test results of asymptomatic patients for COVID-19, going through for head and neck oncological surgeries were obtained from the same system.Results: There is a decrease in the total number of outpatient visits in 2020 compared to 2019.(16814 vs. 7108, 57.7%).The numbers of hospitalizations and surgeries related to head and neck malignancies were increased despite the decrease in the total number of hospitalizations (278 vs. 129, p <0.001) and in the total number of surgeries (231 vs. 111, p <0.001).One of the 88 preoperative COVID-19 tests of asymptomatic patients was positive.No member of the staff got infected.Discussion and Conclusion: Although there is a decrease in the number of patients in the 2020 period, the increase in the qualitative characteristics of the head and neck oncological procedures performed causes an increase in the difficulties / risks that health professionals face even though they do not work for pandemic services.