Challenges in orthopaedic data collection in Gaza Strip: observational findings and bibliometric analysis.

IF 2 3区医学 Q2 ORTHOPEDICS

International Orthopaedics Pub Date : 2025-04-01 DOI:10.1007/s00264-025-06511-6

Abdullah Ghali, Harris Hafeez, Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain, Zina Smadi, Tahir Qasim, Bilal Irfan, Mark Perlmutter, Ali Elaydi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: The aim is to showcase the urgent need for improved data infrastructure and international collaboration by highlighting the barriers to comprehensive orthopaedic documentation and quantifying the scope and nature of scholarly research on Gaza's healthcare crisis.

Methods: Data was collected through integration of observational field notes, informal interviews, patient record reviews and a bibliometric analysis of peer-reviewed articles on the 2023-2025 armed escalations in Gaza.

Results: The review of patient documentation during surgical missions in Gaza revealed significant gaps in critical clinical information, including surgical history, microbiology data, and postoperative instructions, which hindered patient care. Frequent damage to records due to resource shortages and bombardments, along with issues in retrieving imaging data, further exacerbated these challenges. Bibliometric analysis showed that most studies were retrospective, focusing on trauma care and limb salvage, reflecting the difficulty of conducting prospective research in a conflict zone. Of the 114 publications reviewed, only three (2.6%) met inclusion criteria, with two of them involving Gaza-based Palestinian authors, despite barriers like power outages, limited journal access, and resource constraints.These findings highlight the resilience of Gaza's healthcare workers and the need for improved infrastructure, standardized documentation, and international partnership to enhance patient outcomes and strengthen global orthopaedic research.

Conclusion: Orthopaedic documentation in Gaza is hampered by the compound impacts of recurrent conflict, infrastructural decay, and constrained academic output. Observational findings reveal the fragility of paper-based systems, while a bibliometric survey underscores the paucity of locally driven, empirical research. International efforts are needed to overcome these barriers for improved data infrastructure.

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来源期刊

International Orthopaedics 医学-整形外科

CiteScore

5.50

自引率

7.40%

发文量

360

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： International Orthopaedics, the Official Journal of the Société Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopédique et de Traumatologie (SICOT) , publishes original papers from all over the world. The articles deal with clinical orthopaedic surgery or basic research directly connected with orthopaedic surgery. International Orthopaedics will also link all the members of SICOT by means of an insert that will be concerned with SICOT matters. Finally, it is expected that news and information regarding all aspects of orthopaedic surgery, including meetings, panels, instructional courses, etc. will be brought to the attention of the readers. Manuscripts submitted for publication must contain a statement to the effect that all human studies have been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and have therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki. It should also be stated clearly in the text that all persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. Details that might disclose the identity of the subjects under study should be omitted. Reports of animal experiments must state that the "Principles of laboratory animal care" (NIH publication No. 85-23, revised 1985) were followed, as well as specific national laws (e.g. the current version of the German Law on the Protection of Animals) where applicable. The editors reserve the right to reject manuscripts that do not comply with the above-mentioned requirements. The author will be held responsible for false statements or for failure to fulfil the above-mentioned requirements.