Open AccessThe Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Surgical Treatment of Orthopedic Trauma in a Tertiary Hospital in Portugal
Author(s) -
David Ferreira,
Filipe Ramos,
Joana Angélica Marques Pinheiro,
Joaquim Soares do Brito,
Samuel C. V. Martins,
Marco Sarmento
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
gazeta médica/gazeta médica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2184-0628
pISSN - 2183-8135
DOI - 10.29315/gm.v1i1.515
Subject(s) - polytrauma , medicine , orthopedic surgery , orthopedic trauma , pandemic , intensive care unit , trauma surgery , covid-19 , emergency medicine , retrospective cohort study , general surgery , surgery , intensive care medicine , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on orthopedic trauma surgery is not well characterized in the literature. We provided an evaluation of such impact in a tertiary hospital in Portugal.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the patients admitted for surgical treatment due to acute orthopedic trauma from March to December of 2019 and March to December of 2020.RESULTS: A total of 794 patients in 2019 and 728 in 2020 were included. Although the mean time to surgery was shorter the hospital stay was longer in 2020. Infected patients had a longer hospital stay and longer time until surgery compared to non-infected. There was no significant difference between the mortality and need for treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) in both years. There was a significant increase in the number of polytrauma patients treated in our institution in 2020 compared to 2019.CONCLUSION: Orthopedic trauma surgery was globally influenced by the pandemic. Safe and effective measures should be adopted in the treatment of trauma patients, to reduce the clinical and economic impact.