Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) is evolving, overwhelming the healthcare system and negatively impacting inpatients, requiring nonelective surgical intervention. Case Presentation: We present two cases admitted under the Orthopaedic Spine Unit, a patient with an acute T12/L1 disc herniation and new-onset progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness, whose surgery was complicated by a cardiac arrest, secondary to a pulmonary embolism due to delayed access to the operating theatre (OR) and a patient with an L3 burst fracture, who left the hospital after waiting for four days for surgical management, being afraid of becoming infected with COVID-19. Conclusion: Challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic are real, but solutions must be explored. Acting on the proposed strategies listed in the report may be a good start towards improving the outcome and helping to avoid unintentional complications.
Highlights
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) is evolving, overwhelming the healthcare system and negatively impacting inpatients, requiring nonelective surgical intervention
Case Presentation: We present two cases admitted under the Orthopaedic Spine Unit, a patient with an acute T12/L1 disc herniation and new-onset progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness, whose surgery was complicated by a cardiac arrest, secondary to a pulmonary embolism due to delayed access to the operating theatre (OR) and a patient with an L3 burst fracture, who left the hospital after waiting for four days for surgical management, being afraid of becoming infected with COVID-19
Despite the new policies developed by health authorities in light of this pandemic, there is still a lack of clear guidelines to follow for the care of COVID negative patients requiring timely care with the restraint of limited resources, resulting in clinicians making difficult decisions, and in some instances causing further morbidity and mortality
Summary
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) is evolving, overwhelming the healthcare system and negatively impacting inpatients, requiring nonelective surgical intervention. An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) began in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019, and has spread throughout the world [1, 2]. Despite the new policies developed by health authorities in light of this pandemic, there is still a lack of clear guidelines to follow for the care of COVID negative patients requiring timely care with the restraint of limited resources, resulting in clinicians making difficult decisions, and in some instances causing further morbidity and mortality. We aim to address how the COVID pandemic has caused morbidity resulting from preventable complications to patients admitted to the Orthopaedic Spine Unit and the proposed solutions to overcome them
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