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Critical adjustments and trauma surgery trends in adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia

Malaysia has one of the highest total numbers of COVID-19 infections amongst the Southeast Asian nations, which led to the enforcements of the Malaysian “Movement Control Order” to prohibit disease transmission. The overwhelming increasing amount of infections has led to a major strain on major heal...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Tan Chor Lip, Henry, Huei, Tan Jih, Mohamad, Yuzaidi, Alwi, Rizal Imran, Tuan Mat, Tuan Nur' Azmah
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Elsevier 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7255157/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32653358
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cjtee.2020.05.007
Descripción
Sumario:Malaysia has one of the highest total numbers of COVID-19 infections amongst the Southeast Asian nations, which led to the enforcements of the Malaysian “Movement Control Order” to prohibit disease transmission. The overwhelming increasing amount of infections has led to a major strain on major healthcare services. This leads to shortages in hospital beds, ventilators and critical personnel protective equipment. This article focuses on the critical adaptations from a general surgery department in Malaysia which is part of a Malaysian tertiary hospital that treats COVID-19 cases. The core highlights of these strategies enforced during this pandemic are: (1) surgery ward and clinic decongestions; (2) deferment of elective surgeries; (3) restructuring of medical personnel work force; (4) utilization of online applications for tele-communication; (5) operating room (OR) adjustments and patient screening; and (6) continuing medical education and updating practices in context to COVID-19. These adaptations were important for the continuation of emergency surgery services, preventing transmission of COVID-19 amongst healthcare workers and optimization of medical personnel work force in times of a global pandemic. In addition, an early analysis on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures in Malaysia towards the reduction in total number of elective/emergent/trauma surgeries performed is described in this article.