article = {AJSCR-2020-2-106}
title = {COVID-19 Pandemic Morbidity and Mortality Caused to Non-COVID Spine Inpatients at a Level One Trauma Centre: Case Report}
journal = {American Journal of Surgical Case Reports}
year = {2020}
issn = {2674-5046}
doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.AJSCR.2020.02.06}
url = {https://www.sciencerepository.org/covid-19-pandemic-morbidity-and-mortality-caused-to-non-covid-spine_AJSCR-2020-2-106 
author = {Danielle  Shafiepour,Humaid Al Farii,Michael  Weber,Salim Al  Rawahi,}
keywords = {Coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19, spine surgery}
abstract ={Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) is evolving, overwhelming the healthcare system and negatively impacting inpatients, requiring nonelective surgical intervention.
Case Presentation: We present two cases admitted under the Orthopaedic Spine Unit, a patient with an
acute T12/L1 disc herniation and new-onset progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness, whose surgery
was complicated by a cardiac arrest, secondary to a pulmonary embolism due to delayed access to the
operating theatre (OR) and a patient with an L3 burst fracture, who left the hospital after waiting for four
days for surgical management, being afraid of becoming infected with COVID-19.
Conclusion: Challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic are real, but solutions must be explored. Acting on
the proposed strategies listed in the report may be a good start towards improving the outcome and helping
to avoid unintentional complications.}