Abstract
The Amman RSP provides MSF with an opportunity to enrich its understanding of tertiary surgery care in the Middle East.
BACKGROUND
The Reconstructive Surgery Hospital (RSP) was established in 2006 in Amman, Jordan. It acts as a regional centre treating war victims in the Middle East. The program offers elective surgery for those with orthopedic sequelae, maxillofacial injuries and plastic surgery patients. The objective of this study is to describe the demographic characteristics, types of injuries, treatment and sequelae of patients seen at the RSP since its inception.
METHODS
A retrospective descriptive analysis examining data from 2006 to 2016, prior to the implementation of electronic medical records.
RESULTS
The analysis was performed on 4,196 admissions. On average, the RSP treated 409 patients per year. The majority of patients were from Iraq (52.1%), Syria (30.6%) and Yemen (11.6%). Patients were predominantly above the age of 15 years (86%) and were admitted mostly at the orthopedic department (57%). Males represented 81.5%. The main cause of injury was blast (52%). Thirty-seven percent (n=1,115) were admitted for subsequent stages. Forty-six different diagnosis were recorded primarily for non-union of fracture (27%) followed by 19% for burn contracture of skin and 10.5% for mechanical complication of internal fixation device. Seventy-five percent out of 1,054 orthopedic patients, who were tested for infection, were positive. The median length of stay was 96 days from arrival to home discharge with significant differences between specialities. As a result of the last follow up consultation recorded in the database, 1,279 (30.5%) exited the program with maximum benefit achieved, while the majority of others needed further stages to complete their treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
The study highlights the high needs for reconstructive surgery care in the Middle East where MSF is playing a crucial role to treat such patients who are left behind. The type of injuries treated at the hospital reflects the complexity of treatment and the high level of medical care required.
