The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on breast surgery in Italy: a multi-centric retrospective observational study - Summary - MDSpire

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on breast surgery in Italy: a multi-centric retrospective observational study

  • By

  • R. Sgarzani

  • G. Macrì

  • A. Gurrado

  • A. Curcio

  • F. De Lorenzi

  • V. Galimberti

  • C. Garusi

  • M. Bocchiotti

  • M. Roncella

  • F. Rovera

  • G. Caputo

  • A. Sgarella

  • L. Barone Adesi

  • D. Terribile

  • R. Nonnis

  • P. Frittelli

  • B. Cagli

  • S. Tenna

  • I. Baldelli

  • A. Cordova

  • R. Elia

  • M. Salgarello

  • March 6, 2023

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the surgical activity of Italian Breast Care Units by comparing breast surgical procedures performed in 2019 and 2020, highlighting the significance of these changes.

Key Findings:
  • Overall breast oncologic surgical procedures decreased by 9% in 2020 compared to 2019, indicating a significant impact on patient care.
  • Mastectomy/BCS rate increased: 42% mastectomies in 2020 vs 39% in 2019, suggesting a shift in surgical preferences.
  • Breast-conserving surgeries decreased by 13% overall, reflecting changing clinical practices.
  • Direct-to-implant reconstructions increased by 15%, while expander reconstructions decreased by 20%, indicating a trend towards more immediate reconstruction options.
  • Lombardy and Northern Italy saw a significant reduction in surgical procedures, unlike Central and Southern Italy, highlighting regional disparities.
Interpretation:

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted breast cancer surgical procedures in Italy, with notable shifts in the types of surgeries performed and a reduction in overall surgical activity, necessitating a reevaluation of surgical strategies.

Limitations:
  • Study only included data from hospitals not converted into COVID hospitals, which may limit generalizability.
  • Retrospective design may limit the ability to establish causality and introduce potential biases.
Conclusion:

The pandemic led to a notable decrease in breast cancer surgeries, with shifts towards mastectomy and direct-to-implant reconstructions, highlighting the need for adaptive surgical strategies during health crises and further research to inform future practices.

Original Source(s)

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on breast surgery in Italy: a multi-centric retrospective observational study

  • by R. Sgarzani, G. Macrì, A. Gurrado, A. Curcio, F. De Lorenzi, V. Galimberti, C. Garusi, M. Bocchiotti, M. Roncella, F. Rovera, G. Caputo, A. Sgarella, L. Barone Adesi, D. Terribile, R. Nonnis, P. Frittelli, B. Cagli, S. Tenna, I. Baldelli, A. Cordova, R. Elia, M. Salgarello

  • March 6, 2023

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