Open AccessUnlocking of the Orthopedic Department in the Largest Tertiary Referral Hospital of Iran: Our Experience during Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
Author(s) -
Seyed Hadi Kalantar,
SM Javad Mortazavi,
Mohammadreza Razzaghof,
Alirza Moharrami,
Nima Bagheri,
Mohammad Zarei
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of orthopedics and spine trauma
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2538-4600
pISSN - 2538-2330
DOI - 10.18502/jost.v6i2.4785
Subject(s) - medicine , orthopedic surgery , orthopedic trauma , emergency medicine , referral , pandemic , attendance , emergency department , observational study , medical emergency , covid-19 , family medicine , pediatrics , general surgery , disease , surgery , infectious disease (medical specialty) , psychiatry , economics , economic growth
Background: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the largest global healthcare crisis of the last century since its emergence in December 2019. As more of the condition’s chronicity became evident and the government policies changed, the unlocking of the orthopedic wards seemed necessary. In this study, we decided to share our experience regarding the unlocking of our orthopedic ward in the largest tertiary referral hospital of Iran and to explain its negative and positive consequences.
Methods: This observational study was done in Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran, Iran, from April to August 2020. We extracted the data regarding the number of elective/trauma operations, emergency patients, and morning report sessions attendance from our registry database. The data were analyzed and plotted using Microsoft Excel 365.
Results: The mean weekly number of orthopedic operations decreased from 50 for elective and 30 for trauma operations in January 2020 to almost zero for both in late March and early April 2020 [the first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) peak]. Following the department unlocking, the mean weekly elective and trauma operations returned to 50 and 20 by mid-June, respectively. The mean weekly orthopedic emergency visits followed the same order with decrease from 50 to almost zero in late March and increase to 70 in mid-June. However, by the beginning of the second wave, it decreased to almost 38 in early July and further to 28 in late July by the end of the second wave.
Conclusion: The unlocking of the orthopedic department in a tertiary referral hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic is possible, provided that there is a set of protocols for patient care in the ward, emergency room (ER), operating room (OR), and clinic during the pandemic.