Telemedicine in Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery: An Effective Alternative in Post COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Protocol
- A1 patients in oncological follow-up after surgical treatment performed before the COVID-19 pandemic;
- A2 patients suffering from chronic lesions such as precancerous lesions, MRONJ;
- B1 patients with suspected oncological pathology
- B2 patients with suspected urgent disease (MRONJ, odontogenic abscesses, TMJ dislocation)
2.2. A Group
2.3. B Group
2.4. Data Collection
2.5. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Demographic Characteristics and Pathology of the Study Population.
3.2. Results A Group
3.3. Results B Group
3.4. Analysis of Satisfaction Questionnaires
- (1)
- 73% of patients found easy to participate in the consultation, 20% medium and 7% difficult.
- (2)
- 78% currently preferred telemedicine, 12% indifferent and 10% face-to-face consultation
- (3)
- 80% of patients chose video-telephone consultation rather than telephone consultation because they were able to see the doctor’s face and because it was easier to describe the symptoms.
- (4)
- 92% of patients would recommend video consultation to others.
- 97% of doctors found it easy to participate in the consultation, 2% medium and 1% difficult.
- the method proved to be 92% safe
- the resolution of the video image to evaluate facial asymmetries, the presence of swellings, bone exposures, skin and mucous membrane changes due to the presence of suspected lesion was 89% satisfactory
- 98% of doctors would recommend video consultation to other colleagues.
4. Discussion
- evaluate the surgical sites (possible presence of visible masses and/or local recurrences, evident lymphadenopathies, etc.),
- discuss with the patient about the progress of oncological pathology,
- view the cancer surveillance imaging,
- allow the patient to ask questions and clear up doubts,
- involve other specialists in the video-conference, because, as is known, the treatment of head-neck oncological pathology requires a multi-disciplinary approach (maxillofacial surgeon, radiotherapist, oncologist, nutritionist, etc.).
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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1. Do you have fever or have you experienced fever within the past 14 days? | YES or NO |
2. Have you experienced a recent onset of respiratory problems, such as a cough or difficulty in breathing or diarrhea, ageusia, anosmia within the past 14 days? | YES or NO |
3. Have you, within the past 14 days, travelled to risk areas or visited a neighborhood with documented 2019-nCoV transmission? | YES or NO |
4. Have you come into contact with a patient with confirmed 2019-nCoV infection within the past 14 days? | YES or NO |
5. Have you recently participated in any gathering, meetings, or had close contact with many unacquainted people? | YES or NO |
Patient Questionnaire | |
(1) Was the method easy to use? | ▯ Easy ▯ Medium ▯ Difficult |
(2) Currently you prefer telemedicine to “face-to-face” evaluation? | ▯ Yes ▯ Indifferent ▯ No |
(3) Among telemedicine consultations, which do you prefer? | ▯ Telephone consultation ▯ Video—Telephone consultation |
(4) Would you recommend this method of consultation to other patients? | ▯ Yes ▯ No |
Medical Questionnaire | |
(1) Was the method easy to use? | ▯ Easy ▯ Medium ▯ Difficult |
(2) Was the method used safe? | ▯ Yes ▯ No |
(3) Was the image resolution satisfactory? | ▯ Yes ▯ No |
(4) Would you recommend this method of consultation to other colleagues? | ▯ Yes ▯ No |
Sex | Mean Age | Residence |
---|---|---|
Male | 68.35 | Province of Catanzaro 25 |
Other provinces 29 | ||
Female | 66.23 | Province of Catanzaro 17 |
Other provinces 19 |
Group A | |||
Pathology | Telemedicine | Type | Outpatient Treatment/Service |
SubGroup A1 Neoplasm Follow-up | 54 contacts | Head & neck Carcinoma: 54 | Clinical control: 7 |
Advanced dressing: 3 | |||
Biopsy: 5 | |||
SubGroup A2 Other Control/Follow-Up | 9 contacts | Pre-cancerous: 6 | |
MRONJ: 3 | |||
Group B | |||
Pathology | Telemedicine | Type | Outpatient Treatment/Service |
SubGroup B1 Neoplasm 1st visit | 12 contacts | Skin Carcinoma: 3 | Skin Biopsy: 2 |
Mucosa Oral Carcinoma: 8 | Oral Biopsy: 4 | ||
Submandibular gland Carcinoma: 1 | |||
SubGroup B2 Other 1st visit | 15 contacts | MRONJ: 7 | MRONJ: 3 |
TMJ Dislocation: 2 | TMJ Dislocation: 2 | ||
Odontogenic abscess: 3 | Odontogenic abscess: 1 | ||
Sialoadenitis: 3 |
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Share and Cite
Barca, I.; Novembre, D.; Giofrè, E.; Caruso, D.; Cordaro, R.; Kallaverja, E.; Ferragina, F.; Cristofaro, M.G. Telemedicine in Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery: An Effective Alternative in Post COVID-19 Pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 7365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207365
Barca I, Novembre D, Giofrè E, Caruso D, Cordaro R, Kallaverja E, Ferragina F, Cristofaro MG. Telemedicine in Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery: An Effective Alternative in Post COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(20):7365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207365
Chicago/Turabian StyleBarca, Ida, Daniela Novembre, Elio Giofrè, Davide Caruso, Raffaella Cordaro, Elvis Kallaverja, Francesco Ferragina, and Maria Giulia Cristofaro. 2020. "Telemedicine in Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery: An Effective Alternative in Post COVID-19 Pandemic" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 20: 7365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207365