The Eclipse of Degenerative Spine Pathology During COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The Weeping Woman series is regarded as a thematic continuation of the tragedy depicted in Picasso's epic painting Guernica. In focusing on the image of a woman crying, the artist was no longer painting the effects of the Spanish Civil War directly, but rather referring to a singular universal image of suffering. More information: https://www.pablopicasso.org/the-weeping-woman.jsp

Neurosurgical Referral Patterns During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A United Kingdom Experience

“…The reported data are also consistent with this finding, with investigators reporting a comparable reduction in spinal case volume in other parts of the world during the pandemic. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 28 Of grave concern, however, was the decline in referrals for suspected or confirmed CES from January to March, which might suggest that patients with critical neurological symptoms were avoiding healthcare services despite their condition. The proportion of spine referrals that had been for suspected or confirmed CES had also decreased from one fifth of cases in January to 7.7% in February.…”

“…The lockdown also restricted the most physically demanding occupations from continuing their trade, and most of the working population was restricted to their home, which could also explain the lower rates of spinal referrals. 13 It is not possible to comment yet on whether any patients with degenerative spinal diseases have experienced any deterioration during this period. However, if no such neurological worsening has occurred, it would reassure us that patients can tolerate conservative management and that appropriate patient selection for spinal surgery will continue to be of paramount importance.…”

“…Investigators elsewhere have also reported that patients with back pain might have been improperly accessing healthcare services at hospitals, bypassing primary care providers in “normal” times, which could also explain the decrease in these referrals during the study period. 13 , 15 …”

“…Similar concerns, especially with the decrease in stroke admissions, were echoed across the world. 10 , 11 , 12 Within neurosurgery, the numbers of admissions or presentations for spinal pathological entities also decreased significantly in volume during this time in Italy 13 , 14 , 15 and Germany. 16 In contrast, road traffic collisions had been reported to be lower during the pandemic, because the public was avoiding nonessential travel.…”

Neurosurgeons on the front line: experience from the center of the storm in Italy

“…Lombardy was the Italian region hardest hit by the pandemic, and Bergamo, with its Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, was among the first and most affected centers worldwide. 8,14 As first-line healthcare professionals, we neurosurgeons, along with other specialists, found ourselves at the forefront of this "infectious tsunami." Our neurosurgical unit was among the first involved in the healthcare system reorganization required to deal with the pandemic.…”