The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on diagnosis and treatment in otorhinolaryngology patients

SARS-CoV-2 virus (engl. severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) brzo se proširio diljem svijeta. 11.03.2020. godine Svjetska Zdravstvena Organizacija (World Health Organization - WHO) proglasila je COVID-19 (engl. coronavirus disease 2019) pandemijom. SARS-CoV-2, kao i drugi virusi iz porodice Coronaviridae, živi u sluznici gornjeg respiratornog trakta (nazofarinksu) te se prenose kapljično i aerosolom prilikom bliskog kontakta. Infektivne čestice ulaze u tijelo kroz sluznicu nosa i usta. Liječnici i ostalo osoblje na odjelima otorinolaringologije (ORL), u ORL ambulantama i salama u jedinstvenom su visokom riziku za oboljenje od COVID-19 infekcije zbog izlaganja potencijalno inficiranom aerosolu ili respiratornim kapljicama tijekom kliničkog pregleda, operacija ili zahvata u području glave i vrata, posebice kada se tijekom pregleda ne pridržava higijenskih mjera i ne koristi se propisana osobna zaštitna oprema. Ovaj rad sadrži pregled dosadašnjih saznanja o utjecaju COVID-19 pandemije na kliničku praksu otorinolaringologa i liječenje. Također, u svrhu dobivanja uvida u stanje u Hrvatskoj, provedena je dobrovoljna anketa među otorinolaringolozima u Hrvatskoj s ciljem uvida u stanje i stavove hrvatskih liječnika o utjecaju pandemije u Hrvatskoj. Rezultati ankete su pokazali da brojni hrvatski ORL liječnici smatraju da se zbog pandemije kasnilo u dijagnostici i liječenju tumora te kroničnih bolesti glave i vrata. Više od trećine ispitivanih liječnika je zbog profesionalne izloženosti završilo u samoizolaciji, dok je 16% ispitivanih liječnika i oboljelo od COVID-19.The SARS-CoV-2 virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is rapidly expanding around the globe. On 11th March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) an outbreak of a global pandemic. SARSCoV-2 as other viruses from the coronavirus family lives in human nasopharynx and is transmitted between people mainly through respiratory droplets, aerosol and contact routes. Otorhinolaryngologists and surrounding staff are a high-risk group for COVID-19 infection due to their exposure to potentially infected aerosol or respiratory droplets during clinical examination, surgery or other interventions in the head and neck area, especially when their examination and procedures are performed without using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). We have reviewed the existing knowledge on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on otorhinolaryngologists practice and treatment. To further explore the state of the otorhinolaryngologic practice in Croatia, a survey was conducted among Croatian ENT (earnose-throat) specialists. The survey found that many Croatian ENT specialists witnessed delays in diagnosis and treatment in patients with tumours and chronic ENT illnesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While over a third of the surveyed specialists had been quarantined due to professional exposure, only 16% of specialists contracted COVID-19