Isr Med Assoc J
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Cervical spinal surgery is considered safe and effective. One of the few specific complications of this procedure is C5 nerve root palsy. Expressed primarily by deltoid muscle and biceps brachii weakness, it is rare and has been related to nerve root traction or to ischemic spinal cord damage. ⋯ The incidence of the C5 root palsy in our cohort reached 5.6%. Interventions performed through a combined anterior-posterior access in older myelopathic males, may carry the highest risk for this complication.
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Surgery for hip fractures within 48 hours of admission is considered standard. During the lockdown period due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, our medical staff was reduced. ⋯ During the COVID-19 epidemic, despite the limited staff and the lack of therapeutic sequence, there was no impairment in the quality of treatment and a decrease in 90-day mortality was noted.
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Hip fractures in elderly patients are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Variability in length of hospital stay (LOS) was evident in this population. The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to prompt discharge of effected patients in order to reduce contagion risk. LOS and discharge destination in COVID-19 negative patients has not been studied. ⋯ LOS and time to rehabilitation were significantly shorter in the COVID group. Delirium was more common in this group, possibly due to negative effects of social distancing.
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Little is known regarding the impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the incidence of hip fractures among older adults. ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic may have had a positive impact on the behavior of older adults as well as on the management of hip fracture patients. However, healthcare providers should be aware of the possible reluctance to seek care during a pandemic. Moreover, further research on the impact of the change in management during COVID-19 on hip fracture survival is warranted.