Background The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic requires urgent modification to existing head and neck cancer diagnosis and management practices. A protocol was established that utilises risk stratification, early investigation prior to clinical review and a reduction in aerosol generating procedures to lessen the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 spread. Methods Two-week wait referrals were stratified into low, intermediate and high risk. Low risk patients were referred back to primary care with advice; intermediate and high risk patients underwent investigation. Clinical encounters and aerosol generating procedures were minimised. A combined diagnostic and therapeutic surgical approach was undertaken where possible. Results Forty-one patients were used to assess feasibility. Thirty-one per cent were low risk, 35 per cent were intermediate and 33 per cent were high risk. Thirty-three per cent were discharged with no imaging. Conclusion Implementing this protocol reduces the future burden on tertiary services, by empowering primary care physicians to re-refer low risk patients. The protocol is applicable across the UK and avoids diagnostic delay.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Histopathology, Diagnostic imaging, thyroid nodule, Head And Neck Neoplasms, Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Head And Neck, Thyroid Neoplasms, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, primary care, pandemic, protocol, feasibility, diagnostic, risk, aerosol generating procedure, surgical, Spread, risk stratification, clinical, management, therapeutic, Patient, patients, high risk, physician, Modification, cancer diagnosis, approach, Result, were used, reduce, reduction in, discharged, stratified, Implementing, 【제목키워드】 coronavirus disease, protocol, diagnostics, London, cancer patient, North, East,