World journal of surgery
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World journal of surgery · Apr 2014
Comparative StudyOrthopedic surgery in the developing world: workforce and operative volumes in Ghana compared to those in the United States.
Musculoskeletal disease is a growing burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet little research exists to describe the problem. The purposes of this study were to characterize orthopedic surgery in an LMIC and compare the findings to those from a developed country. ⋯ Annual case volume at a referral hospital in an LMIC is equivalent to that of a level I trauma center in an industrialized country. Total case volume is similar, but the LMIC institution manages a disproportionately large number of trauma cases, severe fractures, and infections. There is a large burden of orthopedic disease in the developing nation, and there are too few providers and training programs to address these conditions.