A dual-site trauma system during COVID-19 pandemic - Our experience in a high-risk area with 60-day mortality report

Lilanthi Wickramarachchi; Jonathan Peters; Amit Thakrar; James Ml Wong; George Mazis; Verona Beckles; Sandra Lacey; Kuen Chin

doi:10.1016/j.jor.2021.02.013

A dual-site trauma system during COVID-19 pandemic - Our experience in a high-risk area with 60-day mortality report

J Orthop. 2021 Mar-Apr:24:42-46. doi: 10.1016/j.jor.2021.02.013. Epub 2021 Feb 12.

Authors

Lilanthi Wickramarachchi¹, Jonathan Peters¹, Amit Thakrar¹, James Ml Wong¹, George Mazis¹, Verona Beckles¹, Sandra Lacey¹, Kuen Chin¹

Affiliation

¹ Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK.

Abstract

Aim: We set up a COVID-free trauma site due to the high rates of COVID-19 infections within our hospital. We aimed to determine the incidence of post-operative COVID-19 infection within the first two weeks post-treatment at the COVID-free site and the postoperative mortality rate. We analysed data for non-hip fracture and fragility hip fracture patients separately.

Method: Data was collected for 138 patients presented during the study period, having 147 operations in total. 103 were non-hip fracture patients and 35 were hip fracture patients.

Results: All patients were followed up and none of the non-hip fracture cohort developed symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Postoperative 60-day mortality rate for this cohort was 0.97%. Of the 35 hip fracture patients, none were tested positive for COVID-19. However, two patients were treated as suspected COVID cases due to their symptoms.

Conclusion: Establishing a separate site with screening for COVID-19 infection can allow safe emergency surgery.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Dual-site; Mortality; Post-operative infection rates; Screening; Trauma and orthopaedic surgery.