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.