The Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on the Neurosurgeons Worldwide

El-Ghandour, Nasser M.F; Elsebaie, Eman; Salem, Amany; Alkhamees, Abdullah; Zaazoue, Mohamed; Fouda, Mohammed A; Ahmed, Rasha G. Elbadry; Aly, Mohamed; Bakr, Hebatalla; Labib, Mohamed; Tobin, Matthew K; Gragnaniello, Cristian; Gonzalez-Lo, Pablo; Shamisa, Abdalla; Jhawar, Balraj S; Soliman, Mohamed A.R

INTRODUCTION: Although primarily a respiratory disorder, the coronavirus pandemic has paralyzed almost all aspects of healthcare delivery. Neurosurgeons provide critical care and their role in this pandemic is necessary and yet evolving. METHODS: Through professional registries and internet resources, we surveyed neurosurgeons from around the world. We looked at the national burden of illness, perception of preparedness, cancellation of clinics, surgeries and cessation of research and educational activities. Chi-square, Fisher's exact tests, and multivariate logistic regression model were used to analyze variables. RESULTS: Our survey was completed on April 3, 2020, and was well-received (661 completed, 60.7% response rate, 96 nations). Neurosurgeons in affluent nations still lacked adequate resources to combat this pandemic primarily due to lack of preparedness and insufficient medical equipment. The challenges to lower-income nations were similar but also included knowledge dissemination and inadequate resources. Hospital preparedness was central to effective healthcare delivery but also influenced the cancellation of surgeries and clinics. The impact on education, conferences and research was also significant. CONCLUSION: Neurosurgical disorders are significant casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduction of services, lack of preparedness, inadequate education, insufficient supplies and resources are important contributors. Improved preparedness requires careful planning, real-time surveillance and allocation of resources. This is more critical in poorer nations.