North East London coronavirus disease 2019 protocol for diagnostics in two-week wait head and neck cancer patients.


Journal

The Journal of laryngology and otology
ISSN: 1748-5460
Titre abrégé: J Laryngol Otol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8706896

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Aug 2020
Historique:
pubmed: 3 7 2020
medline: 2 10 2020
entrez: 3 7 2020
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic requires urgent modification to existing head and neck cancer diagnosis and management practices. A protocol was established that utilises risk stratification, early investigation prior to clinical review and a reduction in aerosol generating procedures to lessen the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 spread. Two-week wait referrals were stratified into low, intermediate and high risk. Low risk patients were referred back to primary care with advice; intermediate and high risk patients underwent investigation. Clinical encounters and aerosol generating procedures were minimised. A combined diagnostic and therapeutic surgical approach was undertaken where possible. Forty-one patients were used to assess feasibility. Thirty-one per cent were low risk, 35 per cent were intermediate and 33 per cent were high risk. Thirty-three per cent were discharged with no imaging. Implementing this protocol reduces the future burden on tertiary services, by empowering primary care physicians to re-refer low risk patients. The protocol is applicable across the UK and avoids diagnostic delay.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic requires urgent modification to existing head and neck cancer diagnosis and management practices. A protocol was established that utilises risk stratification, early investigation prior to clinical review and a reduction in aerosol generating procedures to lessen the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 spread.
METHODS METHODS
Two-week wait referrals were stratified into low, intermediate and high risk. Low risk patients were referred back to primary care with advice; intermediate and high risk patients underwent investigation. Clinical encounters and aerosol generating procedures were minimised. A combined diagnostic and therapeutic surgical approach was undertaken where possible.
RESULTS RESULTS
Forty-one patients were used to assess feasibility. Thirty-one per cent were low risk, 35 per cent were intermediate and 33 per cent were high risk. Thirty-three per cent were discharged with no imaging.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Implementing this protocol reduces the future burden on tertiary services, by empowering primary care physicians to re-refer low risk patients. The protocol is applicable across the UK and avoids diagnostic delay.

Identifiants

pubmed: 32613916
doi: 10.1017/S0022215120001267
pii: S0022215120001267
pmc: PMC7399153
doi:

Substances chimiques

Aerosols 0

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

680-683

Références

Mol Imaging Biol. 2009 Jan-Feb;11(1):46-53
pubmed: 18769975
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2013 Nov;270(12):3121-6
pubmed: 23536138
Clin Otolaryngol. 2020 May;45(3):380-388
pubmed: 31985180
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2020 Jun 1;146(6):579-584
pubmed: 32232423

Auteurs

E Warner (E)

Department of ENT, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, UK.

D W Scholfield (DW)

Department of ENT, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, UK.

A Adams (A)

Department of Radiology, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, UK.

P Richards (P)

Department of Radiology, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, UK.

S Ali (S)

Department of ENT, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, UK.

J Ahmed (J)

Department of ENT, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, UK.

K Ghufoor (K)

Department of ENT, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, UK.

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Classifications MeSH