Cirugía de cabeza y cuello durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en Colombia: Experiencia de un centro de excelencia

The SARS-CoV pandemic modified the provision of health services to prioritize the management of emerging cases. The Colombian Association of Surgery was one of the first to lead these initiatives. This study describes the behavior of the health services of a center specialized in head and neck pathology in Colombia. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort. The administrative database was used. The variables analyzed were the number and type of consultations and procedures carried out in the periods of January-July of 2109 and their comparison with the same period of 2020. A descriptive analysis was carried out using average and standard deviation and percentages. Results: 3521 consultations and 866 surgical procedures were analyzed. A drop in the number of consultations was observed, reaching its lowest point in the month of April with a 33.9% decrease. The number of telemedicine consultations increased from March 2020 to reach 98% in the month of April. A drop in the number of procedures was observed, but with a compensatory increase in June of 62.5%. To date, no patient or members of the care team have presented COVID-19 infection. Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic had an important effect on the number of consultations and head and neck surgical procedures. The telemedicine strategy helps to compensate for the decrease in access to specialized care.