Safety of the utilization of telemedicine for brain tumor neurosurgery follow-up

Autor: Alexis A Morell, Nitesh V Patel, Tiffany A Eatz, Adam S Levy, Daniel G Eichberg, Ashish H Shah, Evan Luther, Victor M Lu, Michael Kader, Dominique M O Higgins, Michael E Ivan, Ricardo J Komotar
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Neuro-Oncology Practice. 10:97-103
ISSN: 2054-2585
2054-2577
DOI: 10.1093/nop/npac060
Popis: Background There is a need to evaluate the outcomes of patients who underwent brain tumor surgery with subsequent telemedicine or in-person follow-up during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We retrospectively included all patients who underwent surgery for brain tumor resection by a single neurosurgeon at our Institution from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions (March 2020) to August 2021. Outcomes were assessed by stratifying the patients using their preference for follow-up method (telemedicine or in-person). Results Three-hundred and eighteen (318) brain tumor patients who were included. The follow-up method of choice was telemedicine (TM) in 185 patients (58.17%), and in-person (IP) consults in 133 patients. We found that patients followed by TM lived significantly farther, with a median of 36.34 miles, compared to a median of 22.23 miles in the IP cohort (P = .0025). We found no statistical difference between the TM and the IP group, when comparing visits to the emergency department (ED) within 30 days after surgery (7.3% vs 6.01%, P = .72). Readmission rates, wound infections, and 30-day mortality were similar in both cohorts. These findings were also consistent after matching cohorts using a propensity score. The percentage of telemedicine follow-up consults was higher in the first semester (73.17%) of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the second (46.21%), and third semesters (47.86%). Conclusions Telehealth follow-up alternatives may be safely offered to patients after brain tumor surgery, thereby reducing patient burden in those with longer distances to the hospital or special situations as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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