CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arquivos Brasileiros de Neurocirurgia: Brazilian Neurosurgery 2023; 42(01): e66-e67
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1730336
Update Article

Neurological Patients during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Pacientes neurológicos durante a pandemia de Covid-19
1   Molecular and Experimental Pathology Laboratory I, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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2   Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
1   Molecular and Experimental Pathology Laboratory I, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
3   Department of Pathology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM/Unifesp), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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3   Department of Pathology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM/Unifesp), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

With the current pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), measures of social isolation were necessary, and this resulted in the interruption of several treatments. Regarding neuro-oncological patients, especially those with central nervous system (CNS) disorders, this interruption can cause serious damage or even compromise the success of the treatment in the future. It is essential that each case be evaluated separately to decide how to continue treatment during the pandemic, always considering the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the benefits that the treatment will bring. The policy of not prescribing potentially toxic drugs, chemotherapy, and immunosuppressive therapies, as well as the use of techniques like stereotactic biopsy and telemedicine are important strategies at this time.

Resumo

Com a atual pandemia causada pelo coronavírus da síndrome respiratória aguda grave 2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, em inglês), foram necessárias medidas de isolamento social que resultaram na interrupção de alguns tratamentos médicos hospitalares. Em relação aos pacientes neuro-oncológicos, principalmente aqueles com distúrbios do sistema nervoso central (SNC), uma interrupção pode causar sérios danos ou até mesmo comprometer o sucesso do tratamento no futuro. Assim, de acordo com a literatura encontrada, é de fundamental importância que cada caso seja avaliado individualmente, para que se decida como prosseguir com o tratamento durante a pandemia, sempre considerando o risco de infecção por SARS-CoV-2 e os benefícios relacionados ao tratamento. São estratégias importantes neste momento a política de não prescrição de medicamentos potencialmente tóxicos, quimioterapia e terapias imunossupressoras, além do uso de técnicas como biópsia estereotáxica e telemedicina..



Publication History

Received: 18 September 2020

Accepted: 09 March 2021

Article published online:
01 February 2022

© 2022. Sociedade Brasileira de Neurocirurgia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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