Neurosurgery Subspecialty Practice During a Pandemic: A Multicenter Analysis of Operative Practice in 7 U.S. Neurosurgery Departments During Coronavirus Disease 2019.
Publication/Presentation Date
9-1-2022
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Changes to neurosurgical practices during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have not been thoroughly analyzed. We report the effects of operative restrictions imposed under variable local COVID-19 infection rates and health care policies using a retrospective multicenter cohort study and highlight shifts in operative volumes and subspecialty practice.
METHODS: Seven academic neurosurgery departments' neurosurgical case logs were collected; procedures in April 2020 (COVID-19 surge) and April 2019 (historical control) were analyzed overall and by 6 subspecialties. Patient acuity, surgical scheduling policies, and local surge levels were assessed.
RESULTS: Operative volume during the COVID-19 surge decreased 58.5% from the previous year (602 vs. 1449, P = 0.001). COVID-19 infection rates within departments' counties correlated with decreased operative volume (r = 0.695, P = 0.04) and increased patient categorical acuity (P = 0.001). Spine procedure volume decreased by 63.9% (220 vs. 609, P = 0.002), for a significantly smaller proportion of overall practice during the COVID-19 surge (36.5%) versus the control period (42.0%) (P = 0.02). Vascular volume decreased by 39.5% (72 vs. 119, P = 0.01) but increased as a percentage of caseload (8.2% in 2019 vs. 12.0% in 2020, P = 0.04). Neuro-oncology procedure volume decreased by 45.5% (174 vs. 318, P = 0.04) but maintained a consistent proportion of all neurosurgeries (28.9% in 2020 vs. 21.9% in 2019, P = 0.09). Functional neurosurgery volume, which declined by 81.4% (41 vs. 220, P = 0.008), represented only 6.8% of cases during the pandemic versus 15.2% in 2019 (P = 0.02).
CONCLUSIONS: Operative restrictions during the COVID-19 surge led to distinct shifts in neurosurgical practice, and local infective burden played a significant role in operative volume and patient acuity.
Volume
165
First Page
242
Last Page
242
ISSN
1878-8769
Published In/Presented At
Benner, D., Hendricks, B. K., Elahi, C., White, M. D., Kocharian, G., Albertini Sanchez, L. E., Zappi, K. E., Garton, A. L. A., Carnevale, J. A., Schwartz, T. H., Dowlati, E., Felbaum, D. R., Sack, K. D., Jean, W. C., Chan, A. K., Burke, J. F., Mummaneni, P. V., Strong, M. J., Yee, T. J., Oppenlander, M. E., … Lawton, M. T. (2022). Neurosurgery Subspecialty Practice During a Pandemic: A Multicenter Analysis of Operative Practice in 7 U.S. Neurosurgery Departments During Coronavirus Disease 2019. World neurosurgery, 165, e242–e250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2022.06.010
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
35724884
Department(s)
Department of Surgery
Document Type
Article