Trends and outcomes for non‑elective neurosurgical procedures in Central Europe during the COVID‑19 pandemic
Creators: name: Grassner, Lukas
name: Petr, Ondra
name: Warner, Freda
name: Dedeciusova, Michaela
name: Mathis, Andrea Maria
name: Pinggera, Daniel
name: Gsellmann, Sina
name: Meiners, Laura C.
name: Freigang, Sascha
name: Mokry, Michael
name: Resch, Alexandra
name: Kretschmer, Thomas
name: Rossmann, Tobias
name: Ruiz Navarro, Francisco
name: Gruber, Andrea
name: Spendel, Mathias
name: Winkler, Peter A.
name: Marhold, Franz
name: Sherif, Camillo
name: Wais, Jonathan P.
name: Rössler, Karl
name: Pfisterer, Wolfgang
name: Mühlbauer, Manfred
name: Trivik-Barrientos, Felipe A.
name: Rath, Sebastian
name: Voldrich, Richard
name: Krska, Lukas
name: Lipina, Radim
name: Kerekanic, Martin
name: Fiedler, Jiri
name: Kasik, Petr
name: Priban, Vladimir
name: Tichy, Michal
name: Krupa, Petr
name: Cesak, Tomas
name: Kroupa, Robert
name: Callo, Andrej
name: Haninec, Pavel
name: Pohlodek, Daniel
name: Krahulik, David
name: Sejkorova, Alena
name: Sames, Martin
name: Dvorak, Josef
name: Suchomel, Petr
name: Tomas, Robert
name: Klener, Jan
name: Juran, Vilem
name: Smrcka, Martin
name: Linzer, Petr
name: Kaiser, Miroslav
name: Hrabovsky, Dusan
name: Jancalek, Radim
name: Kälin, Vincens
name: Bozinov, Oliver
name: Niggli, Cedric
name: Serra, Carlo
name: Guatta, Ramona
name: Kuhlen, Dominique E.
name: Wanderer, Stefan
name: Marbacher, Serge
name: Lavé, Alexandre
name: Schaller, Karl
name: Esculier, Clarinde
name: Raabe, Andreas
name: Kramer, John L. K.
name: Thomé, Claudius
name: Netuka, David
Publisher: name: Nature Research
Year: 2021

description: The world currently faces the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic. Little is known about the efects of a pandemic on non-elective neurosurgical practices, which have continued under modifed conditions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This knowledge might be critical for the ongoing second coronavirus wave and potential restrictions on health care. We aimed to determine the incidence and 30-day mortality rate of various non-elective neurosurgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic.A retrospective, multi-centre observational cohort study among neurosurgical centres within Austria, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland was performed. Incidence of neurosurgical emergencies and related 30-day mortality rates were determined for a period refecting the peak pandemic of the frst wave in all participating countries (i.e. March 16th–April 15th, 2020), and compared to the same period in prior years (2017, 2018, and 2019).A total of 4,752 emergency neurosurgical cases were reviewed over a 4-year period. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a general decline in the incidence of non-elective neurosurgical cases, which was driven by a reduced number of traumatic brain injuries, spine conditions, and chronic subdural hematomas. Thirty-day mortality did not signifcantly increase overall or for any of the conditions examined during the peak of the pandemic.The neurosurgical community in these three European countries observed a decrease in the incidence of some neurosurgical emergencies with 30-day mortality rates comparable to previous years (2017–2019). Lower incidence of neurosurgical cases is likely related to restrictions placed on mobility within countries, but may also involve delayed patient presentation.