Establishing a consensus on research priorities in orthopaedic trauma within South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Despite improvements in trauma-related morbidity and mortality in high-income countries over recent years, outcomes following MSK injuries in low- and middle-income countries, such as South Africa (SA), have not. Despite governmental recognition that this is required, funding and research into this significant health burden are limited within SA. This study aims to identify research priorities within MSK trauma care using a consensus-based approach amongst MSK healthcare practitioners within SA. METHOD: Members from the Orthopaedic Research Collaboration in Africa (ORCA), based in SA, collaborated using a two round modified Delphi technique to form a consensus on research priorities within orthopaedic trauma care. Members involved in the process were orthopaedic healthcare practitioners within SA. RESULTS: Participants from the ORCA network, working within SA, scored research priorities across two Delphi rounds from low to high priority. We have published the overall top 10 research priorities for this Delphi process. Questions were focused on two broad groups-clinical effectiveness in trauma care and general trauma public health care. Both groups were represented by the top two priorities, with the highest ranked question regarding the overall impact of trauma in SA and the second regarding the clinical treatment of open fractures. CONCLUSION: This study has defined research priorities within orthopaedic trauma in South Africa. Our vision is that by establishing consensus on these research priorities, policy and research funding will be directed into these areas. This should ultimately improve musculoskeletal trauma care across South Africa and its significant health and socioeconomic impacts.

Guia de boas práticas do cuidado do quadril infantil do Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo / Good practice guide for children's hip care at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo

Introdução: A Displasia de Desenvolvimento do Quadril (DDQ) é uma condição que pode ocorrer durante o crescimento ou desenvolvimento embrionário, fetal e infantil. O diagnóstico precoce e o tratamento adequado são essenciais para evitar complicações futuras, como a osteoartrose. Atualmente, é estabelecido que o posicionamento pós-natal é um fator causal para a ocorrência da DDQ. Deste modo, o posicionamento pós-natal como no uso de dispositivos como "charutinhos" e "cangurus" influencia na incidência de DDQ. Promover a conscientização de profissionais de saúde e pais de recém-nascidos sobre estes cuidados pode contribuir para um desenvolvimento saudável do quadril e uma menor incidência de DDQ. Objetivo: Elaborar uma cartilha de conscientização a respeito de ações e cuidados com o quadril infantil a fim de diminuir a incidência de displasia do desenvolvimento do quadril em crianças. Método: Revisão da literatura pelos autores, com o objetivo de sistematizar o conteúdo relevante, de forma acessível e didática na forma de uma cartilha que será distribuída aos pais, responsáveis e profissionais de saúde que acompanham as crianças. Resultados: A elaboração da cartilha será estruturada em tópicos abrangendo explicações relacionadas a displasia do desenvolvimento de quadril em formato de textos e imagens de forma informative e acessível. Discussão: A implementação de políticas que conscientizem sobre as práticas adequadas relacionadas ao posicionamento do quadril das crianças poderá diminuir a incidência da DDQ, implicando na diminuição de casos de osteoartrose futuros secundários a esta doença. Isto poderá ter impacto positivo tanto na qualidade de vida e morbimortalidade futuros, como também nos custos de saúde relacionados a dor, locomoção e tratamentos definitivos para os quadris afetados. Conclusão: A conscientização a respeito dos cuidados com o quadril das crianças poderá resultar, além da diminuição da incidência de casos de DDQ, no aumento da adesão ambulatorial de pacientes e responsáveis; promoção de políticas e linhas de cuidados relacionados à prevenção da DDQ; conscientização de profissionais e responsáveis a respeito da DDQ; diminuição de custos relacionados a complicações de diagnósticos tardios da DDQ; possibilitar a realização de estudos futuros relacionadas a implementação das medidas propostas. Palavras-chave: Displasia do desenvolvimento dos quadris. Quadril. Ortopedia Pediátrica.

Practice Management Strategies Among Current Members of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons.

BACKGROUND: A survey was conducted at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) to evaluate current practice management strategies among AAHKS members. METHODS: An application was used by AAHKS members to answer both multiple-choice and yes or no questions. Specific questions were asked regarding the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on practice patterns. RESULTS: There was a dramatic acceleration in same day total joint arthroplasty with 85% of AAHKS members performing same day total joint arthroplasty. More AAHKS members remain in private practice (46%) than other practice types, whereas fee for service (34%) and relative value units (26%) are the major form of compensation. At the present time, 93% of practices are experiencing staffing shortages, and these shortages are having an impact on surgical volume. CONCLUSION: This survey elucidates the current practice patterns of AAHKS members. The pandemic has had a significant impact on some aspects of practice activity. Future surveys need to monitor changes in practice patterns over time.

The AOA: A Comprehensive House with Compassionate Leaders. Presidential Address to the AOA, June 15, 2020: AOA Critical Issues.

ABSTRACT: The American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) is the world's oldest orthopaedic association and it has been responsible for the founding of many prominent organizations as well as The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. While the AOA has traditionally focused on academic orthopaedic leadership, the time has come to expand our horizons and look to include all orthopaedic leaders from the wide variety of leadership roles in which they currently serve.Orthopaedic surgeons who demonstrate compassionate leadership will find that they create stronger, more successful teams. Compassionate leadership is a skill that can be learned, and investing the energy to develop this skill will have a profound impact on our success as orthopaedic surgeons and leaders.

[Survey about the impact of COVID-19 on the traumatology and orthopedic surgery departments in Spain]. / Encuesta acerca del impacto de la COVID-19 en los servicios de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología de España.

INTRODUCTION: We designed and conducted a survey to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operation and performance of the orthopedic departments of the National Health System and private entities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive study of a survey is distributed to Spanish Ortohopedic surgeons via Internet. RESULTS: 401 valid responses were obtained, out of these 85.7% had to reduce their surgical activity between 50% and 100%. 46% of the sample were asked to collaborate in other units or services and another 43% felt that their work had been underused. 52% modified the treatment indications in various bone fractures, with variability between centers and communities. 30% reported being satisfied with the management from the state and 60% with that of their province and center. 70% showed little to no satisfaction with the training received on the use of masks and personal protective equipment. An additional of 80% were also unsatisfied with the training received with regard to sample-taking. 65% did not have protective equipment to carry out their work. 46% have been denied protective measures to treat patients with suspected or confirmed infection. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the National Health System in an extremely serious situation. Through the analysis of the results, we can observe an inefficient use of available human resources, a widespread discontent, as well as an absence of means and measures, which has had a direct impact on the number of infected professionals.

Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Women and Minorities in Orthopaedics: AOA Critical Issues Symposium.

ABSTRACT: Despite considerable attention being paid to the lack of diversity in orthopaedic surgery over the last decade, there has been very little actual change in the racial and gender demographics. This article discusses mechanisms for improving the diversity of interested programs, including reviewing potential barriers to racial and gender-based diversity programs.

Level of Supervision and Radiation Exposure of Senior Orthopedic Residents During Surgical Treatment of Proximal Femur Fracture.

The sustained use of intraoperative fluoroscopy has led to increased use of minimally invasive surgical techniques, enhanced surgeon proficiency, improved anatomic corrections, reduced patient morbidity, earlier functional recovery, and decreased length of hospital stay. As a result, orthopedic attending surgeons and residents are exposed to more radiation, increasing the risk of cancer and radiation-induced cataracts compared with the general population and those who work in other surgical specialties. The magnitude of radiation exposure depends on the susceptibility of the tissues affected, medical specialty, the position of the C-arm, distance from the radiation beam, level of difficulty of the surgical procedure, surgeon experience, level of resident training, and level of supervision by the attending surgeon. However, little information is available on the effect of supervision level on radiation exposure for orthopedic senior residents. The goal of this study was to investigate whether level of supervision by the attending surgeon affects the radiation exposure of orthopedic senior residents during surgical treatment of proximal femur fracture with cephalomedullary nail fixation. This retrospective cohort study was performed from January 2019 to March 2019. No significant relationship between supervision level and radiation exposure of senior residents was observed. Supervision level does not significantly affect radiation exposure for senior residents; therefore, the implementation of standardized training in radiation safety may be a more essential measure to decrease radiation exposure. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(3):e402-e406.].

A survey on Koreans' preferred type of collaboration between conventional medical and traditional Korean medicine doctors.

ABSTRACT: Although collaborative treatment by traditional Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) and medical doctors occurs, it is mainly done by referral. As no survey of the general public's preference for the type of collaboration has ever been conducted, we aimed to investigate Koreans' preferences for a collaborative treatment type.The responders were extracted by random digit dialing and then reextracted using the proportional quota sampling method by sex and age. From July to October 2017, telephone interviews were conducted and the participant responses regarding treatment history for spinal or joint diseases, experiences with collaborative treatment, and preferred type of collaborative treatment were recorded.Of the 1008 respondents, 44.64% reported a history of treatment for spinal or joint diseases at a medical institution. The concurrent collaborative treatment system, in which both KMDs and medical doctors are present in one location participating in the treatment concurrently, was the most preferred system among the respondents. Respondents who reported experience with traditional Korean medicine hospitals were more likely to prefer a one-stop treatment approach than those who did not have experience with traditional Korean medicine hospitals (adjusted odds ratio: 1.73; 95% confidence interval: 1.12-2.68). Respondents who were familiar with collaborative treatment but did not report any personal experience with it were more likely to prefer a one-stop treatment approach than those who were not familiar with collaborative treatment (adjusted odds ratio: 1.82; 95% confidence interval: 1.37-2.44).Koreans prefer a concurrent type of collaborative treatment system by KMDs and medical doctors. Therefore, efforts and support are needed to increase the application of the concurrent type of collaborative system.

Orthopaedic surgeons' perceptions and attitudes on COVID-19 related changes in practice: an international cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: the purpose of this study was to assess the orthopaedic surgeons' perceptions and attitudes on COVID-19 related changes in their practice. METHODS: an online survey was shared with orthopaedic surgeons practicing in different countries. RESULTS: this study showed that orthopaedic surgery plan management was adapted to respond more effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic while maintaining the continuity of health care and ensuring protection of medical staff and patients. Among the introduced measures, elective surgery was postponed to free-up beds for suspected or COVID-19 positive patients requiring hospitalization. Additionally, the number of outpatient visits was considerably decreased and non-urgent visits were postponed to reduce the flow of patients in and out of hospitals and therefore minimize the risk of contamination. Interestingly, data revealed the willingness of orthopaedic surgeons to take care of COVID-19 positive patients and support their colleagues in intensive care units, if needed. CONCLUSION: orthopaedic surgery departments have adapted their programs to face the unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Quick measures were taken to reduce the risk of contamination in patients, medical staff and to allow hospitals to free up beds for treatment of patients with positive or suspected COVID-19.

Introduction of a virtual trauma meeting in response to COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on all our lives, both personally and professionally, and in many ways has been a catalyst for change. Limitations on social gathering have called the wisdom of a conventional trauma meeting into question. We have initiated our virtual trauma meeting and report our early results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Daily morning trauma meetings are now conducted online. Following instigation, we collated the results of a feedback form completed online to assess the relative merits of a virtual trauma meeting. RESULTS: There were 27 responses received to the electronically administered virtual trauma meeting evaluation survey, from a range of trauma and orthopaedic department personnel. There were no concerns regarding patient safety or decision making and, apart from the quality of the audio (63% dissatisfied or very dissatisfied) positive feedback outweighed negative feedback in every category. At 74%, the majority of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied overall with the virtual trauma meeting. CONCLUSION: Trauma meetings can be safely conducted in a virtual environment with high standards of patient care maintained. Virtual trauma meeting offers service enhancements such as early subspecialty input and enhanced cross-site communication and rapid solution development to logistical difficulties. Adapting to conference call etiquette will enhance user experience and opportunity for training opportunities, but adequate investment in high-quality equipment is essential.

Orthopaedic assessment unit: a service model for the delivery of orthopaedic trauma care in a major trauma centre during the global pandemic (COVID-19).

INTRODUCTION: We describe a new service model, the Orthopaedic Assessment Unit (OAU), designed to provide care for trauma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients without COVID-19 symptoms and isolated musculoskeletal injuries were redirected to the OAU. METHODS: We prospectively reviewed patients throughput during the peak of the global pandemic (7 May 2020 to 7 June 2020) and compared with our historic service provision (7 May 2019 to 7 June 2019). The Mann-Whitney and Fisher Exact tests were used to test the statistical significance of data. RESULTS: A total of 1,147 patients were seen, with peak attendances between 11am and 2pm; 96% of all referrals were seen within 4h. The majority of patients were seen by orthopaedic registrars (52%) and nurse practitioners (44%). The majority of patients suffered from sprains and strains (39%), followed by fractures (22%) and wounds (20%); 73% of patients were discharged on the same day, 15% given follow up, 8% underwent surgery and 3% were admitted but did not undergo surgery. Our volume of trauma admissions and theatre cases decreased by 22% and 17%, respectively (p=0.058; 0.139). There was a significant reduction of virtual fracture clinic referrals after reconfiguration of services (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Rapid implementation of a specialist OAU during a pandemic can provide early definitive trauma care while exceeding national waiting time standards. The fall in trauma attendances was lower than anticipated. The retention of orthopaedic staff in the department to staff the unit and maintain a high standard of care is imperative.

Suggestions for changes in professional procedures and adaptation to COVID-19: new models of care in the rehabilitation setting.

Abstracts: The COVID-19 (COrona Virus Disease 2019), due to the SARS-COV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2) has been an unprecedented global challenge for the healthcare systems (1).

Development of a Low-Resource Operating Room and a Wide-Awake Orthopedic Surgery Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant medication, supply and equipment, and provider shortages, limiting the resources available for provision of surgical care. In response to mandates restricting surgery to high-acuity procedures during this period, our institution developed a multidisciplinary Low-Resource Operating Room (LROR) Taskforce in April 2020. This study describes our institutional experience developing an LROR to maintain access to urgent surgical procedures during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. A delineation of available resources and resource replacement strategies was conducted, and a final institution-wide plan for operationalizing the LROR was formed. Specialty-specific subgroups then convened to determine best practices and opportunities for LROR utilization. Orthopedic surgery performed in the LROR using wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) is presented as a use case. Results. Overall, 19 limited resources were identified, spanning across the domains of physical space, drugs, devices and equipment, and personnel. Based on the assessment, the decision to proceed with creation of an LROR was made. Sixteen urgent orthopedic surgeries were successfully performed using WALANT without conversion to general anesthesia. Conclusion. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a LROR was successfully designed and operationalized. The process for development of a LROR and recommended strategies for operating in a resource-constrained environment may serve as a model for other institutions and facilitate rapid implementation of this care model should the need arise in future pandemic or disaster situations.

Covid-19 y cirugía ortopédica: revisión de la literatura y evidencias / Covid-19 and orthopedic surgery: review of the literature and evidence

Se ha declarado una pandemia ante la propagación de un nuevo virus con alta contagiosidad, llamado síndrome respiratorio agudo severo coronavirus 2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV2). El mundo ha quedado detenido ante la rápida expansión del virus, con una letalidad que en algunos países llega a 15%. En Chile, el gobierno ha tomado medidas rápidas y agresivas que han permitido mantener la curva de contagios a un nivel que permita atender de manera adecuada a la población. Dentro de estas medidas, se contempla la suspensión de cirugías y consultas ambulatorias. Como cirujanos ortopédicos, nos hemos visto afectados por estas medidas, y existe confusión respecto a cuál es la conducta más adecuada. Quisimos hacer esta guía para resumir parte de las evidencias disponibles y orientar a los cirujanos ortopédicos respecto a esta patología. El comportamiento de esta guía es dinámico, dadas las múltiples opiniones, experiencias y evidencias, que surgen diariamente, por lo que recomendamos mantenerlo como referencia, no como certeza.

A pandemic has been declared due to a new highly contagious virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). The world has come to a halt due to the rapid expansion of a virus whose lethality has reached 15% in some countries. In Chile, the government has taken decisive, aggressive measures in an attempt to control disease spread and provide healthcare to those who need it. These decisions include the suspension of elective surgeries and other ambulatory procedures. As Orthopedic surgeons we have been affected by these measures and there is doubt regarding the best course of action. We prepared this guide to summarize available evidence and orient our colleagues regarding this pathology. This guide is meant to be dynamic, as new opinions, evidence and experiences arise every day. Therefore, we advise the reader to keep it as a reference, not an undisputable truth.

Service reconfiguration in the department of hand surgery during the UK COVID-19 lockdown: Birmingham experience.

In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the UK and had a major impact on healthcare services. The Birmingham hand centre, one of the largest hand trauma units in the country, underwent a dramatic service reconfiguration to enable robust and safe provision of care that would withstand the peak of the pandemic. Streamlining our service significantly reduced patient footfall and hospital admission while preventing intra-hospital viral transmission. Many of the changes implemented have been kept as permanent adjustments to our practice as this new model of care yields higher patient satisfaction and efficacy to withstand the pressures of further peaks in the pandemic.

Telephone consultation service in orthopedics during COVID-19 pandemic. / Consultoría telefónica en COT durante la pandemia por COVID-19. ¿Ha venido para quedarse?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The current COVID-19 pandemic scenario has driven surgical departments to a transformation. The worldwide spread of the disease has led to a public health quarantine where health care professionals are at high risk of infection. In this context, telemedicine has been promoted and scaled up to reduce the risk of transmission. This study aims to demonstrate that a combined framework based on telematics and in-person clinical encounter not only ensures medical care but the safety of healthcare professionals and patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Descriptive observational study on the follow-up of patients during the COVID19 Pandemic, combining telephone and traditional. RESULTS: A total of 5031 telephone calls were made, differentiating between medical referrals, specialized primary care visits, and outpatient consultation. They were classified as successful, required an in-person visit, or no successful telephone contact. Furthermore, we divided them into 2 groups: resolved and unresolved. 53% of all telematic visits were successful. CONCLUSIONS: Telematic medical systems are a feasible option in a orthopedics department and an interesting resource to preserve once the pandemic is resolved. Future lines of research should be opened to improve system success, analyze its cost-effectiveness ratio, and correct any legal conflicts that may exist.