Luigi Cavanna is an Italian doctor. He is the head of the hematology and oncology ward at the Guglielmo da Saliceto hospital in

Piacenza Piacenza (; egl, label= Piacentino, Piaṡëinsa ; ) is a city and in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, and the capital of the eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with over ...

, Emilia-Romagna.

COVID-19 pandemic

During the second week of March 2020, in the beginning of the pandemic lockdown in Italy, Cavanna realized that too many critically-ill COVID-19 patients were arriving at his hospital and that they could have been treated earlier before the escalation of the symptoms. He therefore became one of the first doctors in Italy to focus on house calls for COVID-19 patients. Despite his age, Cavanna started visiting his patients in their homes in the province of Piacenza, wearing full-body

protective gear Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, ele ...

. His protocol focuses on chest ultrasound with portable equipment, a rapid start of treatment, and remote monitoring of blood oxygen level. Cavanna is also in favor of the use of

hydroxychloroquine Hydroxychloroquine, sold under the brand name Plaquenil among others, is a medication used to prevent and treat malaria in areas where malaria remains sensitive to chloroquine. Other uses include treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, an ...

for COVID-19 home-bound patients. According to the data he collected during the pandemic, fewer than 5% of the patients he treated at home worsened to the point where they had to be hospitalized, thus proving that a response in the early days could make a difference and helped the hospitals by freeing up space for patients who could not be treated at home. Due to his efforts, Cavanna became famous internationally. He also received national recognition. In July 2020 he was given the title of ''poliziotto ad honorem'' (

ad honorem ''Ad honorem'' is a Latin phrase that literally can be translated as "to the honor". When used today, it generally means "for the honor of"; that is, not seeking any material reward. It is commonly used in universities for certain unpaid teaching ...

policeman) by the

Polizia di Stato The ''Polizia di Stato'' (State Police or P.S.) is one of the national police forces of Italy. Alongside the Carabinieri, it is the main police force for providing police duties, primarily to cities and large towns, and with its child agencie ...

, in October he received a special award of the Italian association of Medical Oncology and in December he was elected as a positive symbol by the ''Coalizione Italiana Libertà e Diritti Civili''. (Italian Coalition for Freedom and Civil Rights) Cavanna was also author of one of the first studies of oncology treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic outside China, published on '' Future Oncology'' in May 2020.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cavanna, Luigi Italian oncologists People from the Province of Piacenza COVID-19 pandemic in Italy Year of birth missing (living people) Living people