Authors
1st Author: Dr. Suvashis Dash MBBS MS MCh
Senior resident
Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
New Delhi, India
Mobile -+91-90385257171
Email-suvashis.dash@gmail.com
2ndAuthor: Dr. Shivangi Saha MBBS MS
Senior resident
Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
New Delhi, India
Mobile-+91-9968969174
Email -shivangisaha@gmail.com
3rdAuthor: Dr. Maneesh Singhal MBBS MS MCh
Professor and Head of Department
Plastic Reconstructive and Burns Surgery
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
New Delhi, India
Mobile-+91-9810373345
E-mail –drmaneesh@gmail.com
4thAuthor: Dr.Shivakumar Thiagarajan MS, DNB Associate professor Head and Neck Surgery, E-mail- drshiva78in@gmail.com
Homi Bhabha National Institute
Mumbai, India.
5thAuthor: Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi,
Professor, Department of Head Neck Surgery
Deputy Director, Centre for Cancer Epidemiology.
Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai
Homi Bhabha National Institute
Mumbai, India
Email- chaturvedi.pankaj@gmail.com
6th and Corresponding Author:
Dr. Vinay Kant Shankhdhar,
Professor and Head,
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery,
Tata Memorial Centre,
Homi Bhabha National Institute
Mumbai, India.
Email – vinayshankhdhar@gmail.com
Mobile:+917021015205 / +919819668264
Considerations in Head and Neck Oncologic Reconstructions and Microsurgery During COVID-19 PandemicAbstract COVID outbreak has incapacitated the healthcare system around the world. Existing resources and manpower are being redirected to take care of the COVID-19 disease patients. People with head and neck cancers with the need of post ablative reconstruction are in difficult situation owing to multiple factors like poor general condition, disease progression and potential chance of getting an infection of COVID -19 in a health care facility as well as doubt regarding treatment completion i.e. adjuvant treatment. Appropriate reconstruction following ablative surgery, especially in advanced disease, facilitates functional recovery and thus adding to the quality of life of the patients. The reconstructive procedures are resource-intensive, requiring long hours of surgery, trained manpower, and multiple team members. However, if adequate surgical excision demands the reconstructive procedure, then it should not be a hindrance for the standard treatment. We need to review our approach in the face of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. We are presently working in resource constraints like limited availability of staff and limited availability of personal protective equipment especially in plastic surgery procedures which requires the use of loupes and microscope. Thus, the challenge is to ensure proper reconstruction with limited available resources and maintaining safety standards for the staff in the operation theatre. This work is based on our experience and evidence from the literature.Keywords- oncologic reconstruction; Microsurgery; COVID-19; Head neck cancer; reconstructive surgery; Head neck reconstruction.