Emergency Department, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
School of Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Emerg Med Australas. 2020 Aug;32(4):692-693. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.13525. Epub 2020 Apr 29.
Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) present distinct physiological and social considerations for the emergency physician. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these considerations may generate unique challenges for emergency physicians managing patients with SCIs. Physiological disruptions may alter the way SCI patients present with COVID-19. The same disruptions can affect management of this vulnerable patient group, perhaps warranting early aggressive treatment. The medical picture will often be complicated by unique social characteristics. The reliance on caregivers for activities of daily living can, as an example, increase the human resource requirement of an ED. Considering the vulnerabilities and complexities of patients with SCI, the community should prioritise prevention of COVID-19 infections in this group. In the event that they do present to an ED, planning for and understanding their complexities will facilitate optimal management.
脊髓损伤 (SCI) 给急诊医师带来了独特的生理和社会方面的考虑。在 COVID-19 大流行期间，这些考虑因素可能会给管理 SCI 患者的急诊医师带来独特的挑战。生理紊乱可能会改变 SCI 患者 COVID-19 的表现方式。同样的紊乱也会影响对这一脆弱患者群体的管理，可能需要早期积极治疗。医疗情况通常会因独特的社会特征而变得复杂。例如，对日常生活活动的依赖可能会增加急诊科的人力资源需求。考虑到 SCI 患者的脆弱性和复杂性，社区应该优先考虑预防该人群感染 COVID-19。如果他们确实到急诊科就诊，规划和了解他们的复杂性将有助于实现最佳管理。
