Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33093987›Full record

ArticleSurgical neurology international2020

Endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: A developing country perspective.

Mohamed A R Soliman, Mohammad Elbaroody, Amr K Elsamman, Mohamed Ibrahim Refaat, Ehab Abd-Haleem, Walid Elhalaby, Hazem Gouda, Amr Safwat, Mohamed El Shazly, Hisham Lasheen and 6 more

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Surgical neurology international, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 35% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Mohamed A R SolimanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mohammad ElbaroodyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Amr K ElsammanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mohamed Ibrahim RefaatDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ehab Abd-HaleemDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Walid ElhalabyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Hazem GoudaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Amr SafwatDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mohamed El ShazlyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Hisham LasheenDepartment of Ear Nose and Throat, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
AbdelRahman YounesDepartment of Ear Nose and Throat, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Yousry El-HemilyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ahmed ElsaidDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Haitham KandelDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Mohamed LotfyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Ehab El RefaeeDepartment of Neurosurgery, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Cairo University · EG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlthough primarily a respiratory disorder, the coronavirus pandemic has paralyzed almost all aspects of health-care delivery. Emergency procedures are likely continuing in most countries, however, some of them raises certain concerns to the surgeons such as the endoscopic endonasal skull base surgeries. The aim of this study is to present the current situation from a developing country perspective in dealing with such cases at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsA cross-sectional analytical survey was distributed among neurosurgeons who performed emergency surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Cairo, Egypt, between May 8, 2020, and June 7, 2020. The survey entailed patients' information (demographics, preoperative screening, and postoperative COVID-19 symptoms), surgical team information (demographics and postoperative COVID-19 symptoms), and operative information (personal protective equipment [PPE] utilization and basal craniectomy).

resultsOur survey was completed on June 7, 2020 (16 completed, 100% response rate). The patients were screened for COVID-19 preoperatively through complete blood cell (CBC) (100%), computed tomography (CT) chest (68.8%), chest examination (50%), C-reactive protein (CRP) (50%), and serological testing (6.3%). Only 18.8% of the surgical team utilized N95 mask and goggles, 12.5% utilized face shield, and none used PAPRs. Regarding the basal craniectomy, 81.3% used Kerrison Rongeur and chisel, 25% used a high-speed drill, and 6.3% used a mucosal shaver. None of the patients developed any COVID-19 symptoms during the first 3 weeks postsurgery and one of the surgeons developed high fever with negative nasopharyngeal swabs.

conclusionIn developing countries with limited resources, preoperative screening using chest examination, CBC, and CT chest might be sufficient to replace Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Developing countries require adequate support with screening tests, PPE, and critical care equipment such as ventilators.

Indexed as

CoronavirusCOVID-19Developing CountriesEndoscopicSkull baseTrans-sphenoid

Identifiers

PMID33093987
PMCPMC7568118
OpenAlexW3089007643

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-SA
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.