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. 2020 May;39(3):159-166.
doi: 10.1016/j.hansur.2020.04.001. Epub 2020 Apr 9.

COVID-19: Initial experience of an international group of hand surgeons

Affiliations

COVID-19: Initial experience of an international group of hand surgeons

F Ducournau et al. Hand Surg Rehabil. 2020 May.

Abstract

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected medical treatment protocols throughout the world. While the pandemic does not affect hand surgeons at first glance, they have a role to play. The purpose of this study was to describe the different measures that have been put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by hand surgeons throughout the world. The survey comprised 47 surgeons working in 34 countries who responded to an online questionnaire. We found that the protocols varied in terms of visitors, health professionals in the operating room, patient waiting areas, wards and emergency rooms. Based on these preliminary findings, an international consensus on hand surgery practices for the current viral pandemic, and future ones, needs to be built rapidly.

L’émergence de la pandémie à Covid-19 a bouleversé les pratiques médicales dans le monde. À première vue, cette pandémie ne concerne pas les chirurgiens de la main. Pourtant, ils ont un rôle à jouer. Le but de cette étude était de décrire les différentes pratiques mises en œuvre contre la pandémie à Covid-19 à partir du retour d’expérience de 47 chirurgiens de la main exerçant sur tous les continents. Le matériel comprenait 47 chirurgiens de la main exerçant dans 34 pays qui ont répondu à un questionnaire en ligne portant sur les protocoles Covid-19 mis en place. Les résultats ont montré que les pratiques étaient hétérogènes, tant pour les patients, les visiteurs et le personnel soignant au bloc opératoire, en salle de réunion, aux services d’hébergement des patients, au service d’accueil des urgences et en consultations externes. Il nous semble essentiel de définir un consensus international en chirurgie de la main pour lutter contre les pandémies virales actuelles et futures.

Keywords: COVID-19; Chirurgie de la main; Coronavirus; Covid_19; Epidemic; Hand Surgery; Pandemic; Pandémie; Épidémie.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Geographical distribution of the hand surgeons participating in the study.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Question 1: Which patients do you operate on during this COVID-19 pandemic period?
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Question 2: If you only operate certain emergencies among those that you would have operated in normal times, which ones do you operate outside the operating room in a small emergency room/day surgery center under local anesthesia?
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Question 3: If you only operate certain emergencies, what do you do with those that you would have operated under normal circumstances and that you do not operate at all?
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Question 4: In the operating room.
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Fig. 6
Question 5: Staff meetings.
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Fig. 7
Question 6: Organization of hospitalization for patients.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Question 7: Organization of hospitalization for staff.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Question 8: In the emergency department.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Question 9: Organization of outpatient consultations.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Question 10: If you continue to consult.

Comment in

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