How were patients affected?
Certainly, the pandemic created a lot of anxiety in the population, including avoidance of seeking medical help when it is desperately needed; the most worrisome was the data from New York as the number of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome dropped by around 40%(5, 6). Surgeons had to deal with late presentation of diseases, such a post infarct ventricular septal defects and papillary muscle rupture. The psychological impact is equally pronounced from major depression to anxiety (7).
Emory visitation policy, which still stands in September 2020, meant patients cannot have visitors apart from very exceptional circumstances. The aim of the policy was to protect patients and staff. Some of our patients elected to postpone their surgeries, some of which died while waiting for the pandemic to pass; others died postoperative alone on a hospital bed.