ABSTRACT
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affects all aspects of life all over the world;general surgeons are highly affected along with other healthcare personnel. A gloomy course of the disease makes it hazardous till now;its impact and ways of protection should be of concern for us so that we can keep on our works. Method(s): A survey was carried out at our hospital among general surgeons and surgeons of other specialties of the course with junior doctors and residents. A questionnaire was answered by them concerning their work with the impact of the virus, collecting data from the statistical unit electronically. Iraq has started lockdown for a period of 24 months from March 2020 to March 2022. Result(s): This study is a cross-sectional study using Google Forms and spread over surgical teams of different specialties at the Imemein Kadhumein Medical City Center. From about 248 responses, 118 responses were taken from the survey. Out of the 50 surgeons, 40 (80%) were infected and out of the 68 residents 62 (91.1%) were infected in our hospital (open and laparoscopic). About 20% of the doctors completely stopped attending outpatient clinics, until vaccination started on March 2021, an overall decrease of 60%. A drop of >75% of income was noticed by 45% of them;and 25% of them feel <75% of the income was received. But others have no change or increase in income as patients shift toward private hospitals because the government ones become loaded with COVID patients. Information about the illness and its sequelae was found through the net to be about 81% and through television to be 16%, whereas others were through national and institutional announcements. Conclusion(s): Standardized measures in detection, treatment, and/or vaccination should be taken into consideration based on the solid scientific facts to have a road map for surgeries during this or subsequent pandemics, getting the best outcome for doctors and patients.Copyright © 2022 Nile, Hamdawi, Khiro, licensee HBKU Press
ABSTRACT
Background: Trauma is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide for all age groups, especially in the younger age group. The purpose of the current study is to assess/analyze the factors for mortality in penetrating abdominal traumas with respect to the total number of intra-abdominal organs injured, related extra-abdominal injuries, gender, type of injury, time of arrival, and amount of blood transfusion needed during the pandemic. Methods: A retrospective study including 523 patients underwent laparotomy in Al-Emamien Al-Kadhimin Medical City from March 2020 to September 2021 for a penetrating abdominal injury due to blast injury, bullet, shrapnel injury, and stab wounds. The study population with penetrating abdominal traumas and indicative abdominal signs was subjected to exploratory laparotomy. Results: In this study, 465 (88.9%) males and 58 (11.1%) females participated;the highest rate was found in small bowel injuries (40.73%) followed by large bowel injuries (21.99%), whereas the lowest rate was found in gallbladder injury (1.34%). Chest injuries represent the highest rate among extra-abdominal injuries (18.36%), whereas head and neck represent the lowest rate (1.34%). Regarding the risk factors affecting the mortality rate, the highest rate of mortality was found in the case of gunshot (13.11%), followed by shrapnel (6.38%) and stab wound injuries (5.26%), which was the lowest. Conclusion: Penetrating abdominal injuries were the most common among males, small bowel injuries are the commonest organs affected by the penetrating abdominal injuries, shrapnel injuries were the commonest causes in our country, and the highest mortality rate was related to gunshot and number of organs affected and delay of arrival to the hospital and number of pints of blood received.