In response to the COVID-19 pandemic significant shifts have occurred in the care of laryngectomy and tracheostomy patients and practice has been impacted by resource constraints and infection risk. With services at various phases of re-opening, the landscape is ever evolving and the focus of this panel will be to discuss factors that are currently relevant for patient care in the community, successful return to clinical services and the operating room. Topics will include criteria for outpatient visits and surgery, testing, waiting room management, clinic room turnover, PPE, and hybrid telehealth/in-person visits.
Panel Discussion: Laryngectomy and Tracheostomy Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
International panel:
Mr Sharan Jayaram, MS, FRCS.
Consultant ENT/Head and Neck Surgeon, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Preston Hospital, United Kingdom
Dr med Markus Pietsch, MD.
Vice Chair and Executive Senior Physician, ENT Clinic, Helios Klinikum Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Niedersachsen, Germany
Dr Lisette van der Molen, SLP, PhD.
Speech Language Pathologist and Senior Researcher, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Dr Mario Fernandez, MD, PhD.
Head and Neck Surgeon, Hospital General Universitario “Gregorio Marañón”, Madrid, Spain
Dr Claudio Parrilla, MD, PhD.
Head and Neck Surgeon, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Gemelli Hospital), Rome, Italy