Current impact of Covid-19 pandemic on Spanish plastic surgery departments: a multi-center report

Background: After its initial description in China, Covid-19 is hitting nations across the world, with Spain as the third country in number of deaths, after the USA and Italy. Similarly to what is happening in other countries, an important reduction in available operating rooms is affecting our departments. In this study, we aim to know how Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the delivery of plastic surgery services in Spain.

Methods: A questionnaire addressing some of our concerns about how the Coronavirus crisis might severelyimpact our specialty has been sent to the heads of the divisions of plastic surgery of several hospitals across Spain.

Results: A total of 12 plastic surgery departments from different hospitals across the country agreed to participate in the survey. Most plastic surgery teams will need to maintain 50-80% of their staff in order to be able to offer emergency and undelayable oncological procedures. The total amount of procedures currently being performed ranged from 0 to 44% of the figures before the coronavirus outbreak, except for one department, with elective surgery mainly affected. Microsurgical cases have been massively discontinued during this crisis.

Conclusions: Plastic surgery delivery in the Spanish Health System is being severely impacted as a collateral damage from this pandemic. Most of the elective surgery is currently stopped. Our departments seem to be vulnerable regarding their capacity to keep offering emergency care.Level of evidence: not ratable (multi-center survey).