Materials and Methods
In this COVID-19 pandemic, the stakeholders (at least an attending
surgeon) of major academic health institutions in India who are
responsible for head neck cancer (HNC) care were contacted by phone and
other electronic means of correspondence. Anonymity of the institute and
the individual surgeon was ensured and verbal consent obtained. They
were asked about the present situation of HNC services arising out of
COVID-19 pandemic at their hospitals. The information sought was framed
in the form of questions like- status of outpatient and inpatient
services, acceptance of new patients, type of cancer surgeries being
performed, management of patients in the postoperative period, safety
measures taken during surgeries, guidelines followed, treatment of
COVID-19 patients in their respective hospitals and availability of
personal protective equipments (PPE). Recent guidelines on the
management of cancer patients during COVID-19 pandemic were searched on
the website of important health care bodies of India. All responses from
different stakeholders and guidelines were analysed to understand the
present situation in India.