Epidemiologic characteristics and double-buffered strategy for patients in orthopedic surgery during the novel coronavirus outbreak: Wuhan's experience

• Published in: European journal of medical research Vol. 26; no. 1; p. 39
• Main Authors: Zhou, Yan, Ming, Jianghua, Liu, Shiqing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 30.04.2021; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bone surgery; Child; Child, Preschool; China - epidemiology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Diagnosis and treatment mode; Disease prevention; Disease transmission; Emergency Treatment; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Epidural; Female; Fracture; General anesthesia; Health aspects; Health Personnel - statistics & numerical data; Hospital patients; Hospitals; Humans; Infection; Infection control; Infectious diseases; Injuries; Male; Medical equipment; Medical personnel; Medical records; Middle Aged; Nosocomial infections; Novel coronavirus 2019; Orthopedic Procedures - adverse effects; Orthopedic Procedures - statistics & numerical data; Orthopedic surgery; Orthopedics; Patients; Personal Protective Equipment; Pneumonia; Postoperative Complications - epidemiology; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Retrospective Studies; Serology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Software; Surgeons; Thromboembolism; Viral pneumonia; Young Adult; China; United States > US; Diagnosis and treatment mode; Novel coronavirus 2019; Viral pneumonia; Fracture; Infection control
• ISSN: 2047-783X; 0949-2321; 2047-783X
• DOI: 10.1186/s40001-021-00510-0

The purpose of this article is to summarize the epidemiologic characteristics and double-buffered strategy for patients in orthopedic surgery during the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, based on our own experience in our hospital. A retrospective and comparative study was performed to identify all inpatients at our clinic from February 17 to April 20, 2020 (epidemic group), and from February 17 to April 20, 2019 (control group). Epidemiologic characteristics, screening effect, perioperative complications, and nosocomial infection were analyzed. In the epidemic group, 82 patients were identified, a decrease by 76.0% than the 342 patients in the same period in the 2019. Patients in the epidemic group (54.6 ± 20.2 years) were older than those in the control group (49.6 ± 22.5 years). For the epidemic group, the proportion rates of traumatic factures (69.5%) and low-energy injuries (86.0%) were higher than that in the control group, respectively (35.4% and 37.2%). The preoperative waiting time (7.0 ± 2.6 days) in the epidemic group was longer than that in the control group (4.5 ± 2.1 days). The postoperative complication rate (12.2%) in the epidemic group was higher than that in the control group (3.5%). No nosocomial infection of orthopedic staff and patients with COVID-19 was noted in the epidemic group. During the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, orthopedic inpatients showed unique epidemiological characteristics. The double-buffered strategy could effectively avoid nosocomial infections among medical staff and patients. Doctors should fully evaluate the perioperative risks and complications.