Bedford Orthopedic Hospital

Changes in butterfly populations at Port St Johns between 2015 and 2021 are recorded and discussed.

There is high demand for arthroscopic procedures in the developing world. Simulation allows trainees to develop basic arthroscopic skills away from theatre, where there may be reduced surgical exposure compared with centres with established arthroscopic practice. Smartphones are widely available and accessible throughout the world. We propose a method to create a low-cost, low-fidelity arthroscopic simulator that can be used at home by using the video call function of smartphones. We used readily available materials from a local market. An adequately sized cardboard box was used to house exercises, LED head torch as a light source, bamboo skewers as probes and a smartphone with video call function allowed visualisation without the need to purchase additional equipment. The whole simulator was constructed using less than 50 ZAR (US$3) of new materials. The arthroscopic simulator can be built simply and is easily portable. Established training exercises can be practised and allow development of basic arthroscopic skills. Our home-made simulator is inexpensive, simple to construct and does not require additional hardware (or software) purchases by the trainee. It is a perfect solution for individuals who want to practise their arthroscopic skills, either at home or at the workplace.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to characterize the orthopedic trauma workload in the Bedford Orthopaedic Centre (BOC), an orthopedic referral hospital in rural South Africa.MethodsDemographic data, injury data, and information about initial management were collected for two 6-week periods during both 2008 and 2009 from patients 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.ResultsMost patients were adult men. 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. Fractures accounted for most of the injuries. Motor vehicle accidents and assaults were more prevalent among adults than among children, for whom falls accounted for a large proportion of injuries. Referral was delayed more than 72 h in 41.4% of patients. Established infections were indentified in 12.2%. Deficiencies detected during prehospital care were common.ConclusionThe burden of orthopedic trauma in this rural referral center is sufficient to justify the manpower and resources needed for a major orthopedic trauma center. Because most of the injuries were fractures, efforts should be aimed at improving fracture care. Differences in the mode of injury and in the anatomical sites involved between adults and children highlight the need for focused preventive measures. Reducing both delays in referral and deficiencies in initial management might well reduce the cost and complexity of the definitive treatment required.