Anesthesia methods for patients undergoing orthopeadic surgery in the epidemic period of COVID-19 / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the anesthesia methods for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery between the epidemic period of COVID-19 in 2020 and the same period in 2019.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of the patients who had undergone orthopedic surgery at The Trauma Emergency Center, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University in the epidemic period of COVID-19 from 20 January through 1 March in 2020 and from 4 February through 14 March in 2019 (the same lunar period). Their anesthesia methods were analyzed.The patients in the 2 periods were divided into a group of ≥65 years old and a group of <65 years old.The anesthesia methods and anesthetic operation time were compared between the total cohorts and 2 age groups in the 2 periods.Results:A total of 285 orthopedic operations were completed in the epidemic period in 2020, a decrease by 63.7% than the 784 operations in the same period in 2019; the proportion of elderly fracture patients ≥65 years old in 2020 [29.5%(84/285)] was significantly higher than that [18.1%(142/784)] in 2019. The proportion of non-airway management anesthesia in the epidemic period in 2020 [56.5% (161/285)] was significantly higher than that in the same period in 2019 [38.3%(300/784)]; there was a significant difference in the proportion of non-airway management anesthesia for elderly patients ≥65 years old between the 2 periods [41.6%(59/142) versus 71.4%(60/84)] ( P<0.05). The proportions of intraspinal anesthesia[36.5% (104/285)] and intravenous/+peripheral nerve block anesthesia[4.9%(14/285)] in 2020 were significantly higher than those in 2019 [25.5%(200/784) and 0.3%(2/784)] ( P<0.05); the proportion of laryngeal mask/+peripheral nerve block anesthesia in 2020 [27.7%(79/285)] was significantly lower than that in 2019 [48.9% (383/784)] ( P<0.05). In the group of ≥65 years old, the proportions of intraspinal anesthesia [48.8% (41/84)] and intravenous/+peripheral nerve block anesthesia [10.7%(9/84)]in 2020 were significantly higher than those in 2019 [29.6%(42/142) and 0] ( P<0.05), but the proportion of laryngeal mask/+peripheral nerve block anesthesia in 2020 [21.4% (18/84)] was significantly lower than that in 2019 [47.9%(68/142)] ( P<0.05). Compared with the operation time for intraspinal anesthesia (6.2 min ± 0.4 min) and for intubation/+block anesthesia (7.4 min ± 0.4 min) in 2019, the operation time in 2020 (12.6 min ± 0.4 min and 13.2 min ± 0.3 min, respectively) was significantly increased ( P< 0.05). Conclusions:The anesthesia methods for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery in the epidemic period in 2020 were featured by non-airway management like peripheral nerve block anesthesia, intraspinal anesthesia, and laryngeal mask/+peripheral nerve block anesthesia because they might have helped to reduce the postoperative complications in respiratory system.The anesthetic operation time in the epidemic period in 2020 was increased than in the same period in 2019.