Characteristics and management of emergency patients with orthopedic trauma during COVID-19 epidemic
10.3760/cma.j.cn115530-20200413-00249
- VernacularTitle:新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情期间急诊创伤骨科患者特点和处理策略
- Author:
Ping ZHANG
1
;
Ruiting WANG
;
Lidan GUO
;
Qianjun LIU
;
Yumei JIANG
;
Hong DING
Author Information
1. 南方医科大学南方医院骨科，广州 510515
- From:
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma
2020;22(5):422-426
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the characteristics and management of the emergency patients with orthopaedic trauma during COVID-19 epidemic.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed of the 32 emergency inpatients at Department of Orthopedics, Nanfang Hospital from January 20 to February 26, 2020. They were 23 males and 9 females, aged from 4 to 66 years (mean, 35 years). The causes for their injury included traffic accident in 14 cases, sharp cutting (e.g. by a kitchen knife) in 6 cases, heavy object crushing in one, machine crushing in one, fall in 2, and machine twisting in one. High energy injury occurred in 13 cases and low-energy injury in 9 cases. The injury involved the upper limb in 7 cases and the lower limb in 15 cases. Grade Ⅱ protection was adopted during the diagnosis and treatment for the one emergency patient who had not undergone nucleic acid screening for 2019-nCoV while grade Ⅰ protection for the other 21 patients. 2019-nCoV infection was recorded in the patients and medical staff as well. The measures and experience were reviewed in the management of orthopaedic emergencies during the COVID-19 epidemic.Results:During the diagnosis and treatment of 22 emergency patients with orthopaedic trauma, none of the medical staff or patients was infected with COVID-19. As the one emergency patient was treated as a suspected case and protected by grade Ⅱ measures, COVID-19 infection was ruled out after surgery.Conclusions:During the COVID-19 epidemic, front-line medical staff dealing with traumatic emergencies faced a higher risk of infection. The emergency orthopaedic traumas were mainly caused by a traffic accident or a machine, and those in the elderly patients by a sharp cutting or a fall. The incidence of COVID-19 infection could be reduced by COVID-19 screening before admission, appropriate anesthesia and surgical methods, protection of perioperative medical staff, postoperative wards care and psychological counseling.
