Dental emergencies at sea: A study in the French maritime TeleMedical Assistance Service

Introduction The aim of the study was to assess the frequency, features and management of dental emergencies at sea in France. Methods A descriptive study was carried out by retrospectively examining medical records of patients who were assisted by the French maritime TeleMedical Assistance Service...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of telemedicine and telecare 2020-06, Vol.26 (5), p.285-293
Main Authors: Binaisse, Pierre, Dehours, Emilie, Bodéré, Céline, Chevalier, Valérie, Le Fur Bonnabesse, Anaïs
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Emergencies
Medical records
Telemedicine
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Summary:Introduction The aim of the study was to assess the frequency, features and management of dental emergencies at sea in France. Methods A descriptive study was carried out by retrospectively examining medical records of patients who were assisted by the French maritime TeleMedical Assistance Service (TMAS) from 2012 to 2016. Data were ranked in different categories: socio-demographic data, diagnosis, prescription, and monitoring or treatment prescribed. Results The TMAS recorded 9122 medical files for all medical emergencies. Among these medical records 135 concerned oral diseases. The main causes for dental emergencies are dental abscess (51.8%), tooth decay (33.3%), and dental fracture (8.9%). Even where teledentistry is validated for remote screening and oral lesion diagnosis, management of dental emergencies mostly requires a dental procedure. On board, without special equipment and/or specifically trained healthcare workers, this management often results in the prescription of medication. Discussion The International Medical Guide for Ships published by the World Health Organization could be updated to suit the latest recommendations of dental emergency management. This could facilitate the addition of a medical act to dental management, resulting in more effective treatment. Furthermore, simple and specific equipment could be added to the medical supplies.
ISSN:1357-633X
1758-1109
DOI:10.1177/1357633X18818736