BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to characterize the orthopedic @entity130 workload in the Bedford Orthopaedic Centre ( @entity54306 ), an orthopedic referral hospital in rural South Africa. METHODS: Demographic data, injury data, and information about initial management were collected for two 6-week periods during both 2008 and 2009 from @entity1 seen in the BOC outpatient department. Two primary outcomes were evaluated: (1) the interval between the initial outside evaluation and the BOC consultation and (2) the presence of established infection at the time of consultation. Secondary outcomes included assessments of the initial management at the referring facility. RESULTS: Most @entity1 were adult @entity1 . Almost half were referred from within a radius of 10 km, but more than one-third came from facilities in excess of 50 km away. The most frequent mode of transport was ambulance followed by taxi-van. @entity174 accounted for most of the injuries. Motor vehicle accidents and assaults were more prevalent among adults than among @entity1 , for whom falls accounted for a large proportion of injuries. Referral was delayed more than 72 h in 41.4% of @entity1 . Established @entity281 were identified in 12.2%. @entity942 detected during prehospital care were common. CONCLUSION: The burden of orthopedic @entity130 in this rural referral center is sufficient to justify the manpower and resources needed for a major orthopedic @entity130 center. Because most of the injuries were @entity174 , efforts should be aimed at improving @entity174 care. Differences in the mode of injury and in the anatomical sites involved between adults and @entity1 highlight the need for focused preventive measures. Reducing both delays in @entity942 in initial management might well reduce the cost and complexity of the definitive treatment required.

Analysis of outpatient XXXX referrals in a sub-Saharan African orthopedic center.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'patients', 'men'] @entity174 :: ('MESH:D050723', 'Disease') :: ['fractures', 'fracture', 'Fractures'] @entity54306 :: ('CHEBI:48502', 'Chemical') :: ['BOC'] @entity281 :: ('MESH:D007239', 'Disease') :: ['infections'] @entity942 :: ('MESH:D003677', 'Disease') :: ['Deficiencies', 'referral and deficiencies'] @entity130 :: ('MESH:D014947', 'Disease') :: ['trauma']
@entity130 :: (MESH:D014947,Disease) :: ['trauma']
