COVID-19: Moral and Ethical Implications for Orthopaedic Spine Surgeons

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has made a significant impact on healthcare systems worldwide, with a large influx of patients prompting the cancellation of elective surgery in order to conserve resources and prevent the risk of exposure to the novel virus. In this case report, we present a 66-year-old...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Case reports in orthopedics 2021-07, Vol.2021, p.1-5
Main Authors: Min, Cris J., Iturriaga, Cesar, Wang, Victoria, Verma, Rohit
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Case Report
Case reports
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Elective surgery
Emergency medical services
Hospitals
Medical ethics
Orthopedics
Pandemics
Patients
Public health
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Surgeons
Telemedicine
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Summary:The rapid spread of COVID-19 has made a significant impact on healthcare systems worldwide, with a large influx of patients prompting the cancellation of elective surgery in order to conserve resources and prevent the risk of exposure to the novel virus. In this case report, we present a 66-year-old male patient, with a history of cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities, exhibiting an increasing loss of function over the course of 10 days amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The patient was initially refused transport to the hospital by emergency medical services and later transported per independent request from his surgeon. Upon admittance to the hospital, the patient was found to have severe spinal cord compression with myelopathic symptoms and underwent an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. This case highlights the need for more specific guidelines regarding the evaluation of a spinal injury by EMS and the hospital system amid a national crisis.
ISSN:2090-6749
2090-6757
DOI:10.1155/2021/6682705