Surgical Management of Extremity Fractures in COVID-19 Patients

  • Adel Ebrahimpour Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Shohada Tajrish Hospital, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Mohammadreza Chehrassan General Practitioner, Bone and Joint Reconstruction Research Center, Shafa Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Amir Human Hoveidaei General Practitioner, Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Meisam Jafari Kafiabadi Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Shohada Tajrish Hospital, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Mehrdad Sadighi Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Shohada Tajrish Hospital, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Alireza Manafi Rasi Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Morteza Sanei Taheri Professor, Department of Radiology, Shohada Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Alireza Fatemi Assistant Professor, Men’s Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Seyed Mohammad Javad Mortazavi Professor, Joint Reconstruction Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Keywords: Bone; COVID-19; Fractures; Orthopedics; Personal Protective Equipment

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is spreading rapidly and potentially affects every person, including fracture patients. This study was conducted with the aim to evaluate our primary months’ experience of surgical treatment of fractures in COVID-19 infected patients in order to assist in better decision-making in the next waves of the infection.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 15 patients with orthopedic trauma and COVID-19 infection were included from 2 trauma centers during February and March 2020

Results: Most of the patients were younger than 40 year of age. The most common COVID-19 related symptom at presentation was malaise, and a hypoxia rate of 85.7% was detected among the patients. Two-thirds of the fractures were in the lower extremities. One patient expired, but all others were discharged with no follow-up complications.

Conclusion: Surgical management of fractures in COVID-19 patients is inevitable. To achieve this, sensitive screening techniques and standard protection measures are essential.

Published
2022-03-06
Section
Articles