Ethical framework for head and neck endocrine surgery in the COVID‐19 pandemic

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Amy Chen, Emory University; Maisie Shindo, Oregon Health and Science University
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-05-13
• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hed.26240
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Head & Neck: Journal of the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck
• Grant/Funding Information: None declared
• Keywords: COVID-19; tracheal; risk of infection; esophageal; parathyroid; cancer; thyrotoxicosis; time-sensitive; pandemic; endocrine surgery; thyroid; emergent surgery; Graves' disease; elective surgery
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Epidemiology

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic has halted all elective surgeries, allowing only emergent surgeries, and in some hospitals time‐sensitive urgent surgeries to proceed. “Mr X, This is Dr I'm calling to discuss with you your previously planned surgery.” I have been having many conversations like this with my patients over the past weeks. Surgeries may be delayed or the patient and his/her family may need to make a heart wrenching decision whether to proceed with surgery in a hospital filling with COVID‐19 patients, risking infection themselves, and without any visitors. Endocrine surgery falls into this valley where it is neither life threatening nor totally benign either.