How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons
Leandro Siragusa, Roberta Angelico, Marco Angrisani, Biagio Zampogna, Marco Materazzo, Roberto Sorge, Luca Giordano, Roberto Luca Meniconi, Alessandro Coppola, SPIGC Survey Collaborative Group, Annarita Marino, Giorgio Giraudo, Sofia Esposito, Alessia Urbani, Matteo De Pastena, Rodolfo Francesco Mastrapasqua, Mattia Garancini, Alice Frontal, G. R. Pascal, Jacopo Martellucc, Francesco Falb, Alessandro Boscarelli, Pietro Bertoglio, Eleonora M. C. Trecca, Luca Galassi, Vincenzo Vento, Ambra Chiappini, Alessandro Antonelli, Francesco Bennardo, Filippo Familiari, Giuseppe Giannaccare, Andrea Zappia, Giuseppe Giuliani, Francesca Falcone, Stefano Sebastiani, Mauro Montuori, Stefano Rossi, Andrea Sagnotta, Beatrice Giuliani, Giusy Carmen Imbriani, Stefano Restaino, Lorenzo Andreani, Fabrizio Di Maria, Antonio Simone Laganà, Livio Vitiello, Federico Berton, Edoardo Virgilio, Marco Palisi, Luca Portigliotti, Marco Calussi, Luigi Conti, Claudio Mauriello, Mirko Barone, Edoardo Saladino, Alessia Giaquinta, Domenico Zerb, Giuseppe Frazzetta, Giovanni Merola, Andréa Chierici, Roberto Bini, Leonardo Centonze, Riccardo De Carlis, Luca Ferrario, Alessandro Giani, Andrea Lauterio, Nicolò Tamini, Stefano Corti, Emanuele Botteri, Jacopo Andreuccetti, Rossella D’Alessio, Giovanni Cestaro, Guglielmo Clarizia, Alessandro Spolini, A.S.L. Carboni, Enrico Benzoni, Giampaolo Galiffa, Bruno Perotti, Massimiliano Veroux, Valentina Randazzo, Domenico Topa, Chiara Pranteda, Massimiliano Veroux, Giorgia Contini, Chiara Iacusso, Valerio Voglino, P. M. Vita, Francesco Maria Carrano, Luca Ambrosio, Roberto Cammarata, Gabriella Teresa Capolupo, Damiano Caputo, Filippo Carannante, Chiara Cascone, Francesco Esperto, Tommaso Farolfi, Luca Frasca, Ida Francesca Gallo, Giulia Gibin, Giancarlo Giurazza, Luca Improta
Abstract
COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p < 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p < 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p < 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p < 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice.