Background Video consultations could support patient care in hand surgery during social distancing in the COVID-19 era. According to the literature, images of hand and fingers can support telediagnosis in hand emergencies. We present this feasibility study on online video consultation in hand surgery. Methods A structured examination was designed to query the medical history and examine motor skills, sensitivity, strength and function tests of the hand. Thirty examinations on both hands were carried out by online video consultation, then in direct contact and compared with each other. Results With 4560 evaluated range of movement of the hand and finger joints, there was a high correlation between the measurement methods of R = 0.995 (p < 0.0001, confidence interval 0.9946 – 0.9954). In the video-based examination, 84.6% of the measured values showed a deviation of less than 5° compared to the direct examination, 92.8% less than 10° deviation. Good accordance was also found in the patientʼs medical history. An estimating examination of sensitivity, function and strength during video examination is feasible with simple auxiliary aids. Deficits are evident in the detection of scars, in function tests and the absence of haptic findings. Conclusion Online video consultation allows hand examination with sufficient documentation of hand and finger movements (range of motion) and proper evaluation of symptoms. It cannot replace direct examination but complement patient care in hand surgery even beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic.

occur as a matter of fate (1). In a retrospective analysis of 42 children, 41 extravasation injuries (98%) involved peripheral intravenous catheters and only one extravasation (2%) a central intravenous catheter; in 40 cases the extremities were affected and only in one case the scalp (1). With their fine skin and thin subcutaneous fat, the veins of the extremities of children are most accessible, but at the same time most susceptible to injury (1-4, e1). In addition, infants and neonates are particularly at risk due to their small vessels with fragile vessel walls, difficulties with cannula fixation, often prolonged intravenous therapy, and their limited ability to communicate pain (1-4). In neonatology, younger age (<32-33 weeks gestation, <28 days of life) and low birth weight (<1500-2500 g; odds ratio [OR] for <1500 g: 1.91) are particularly important risk factors (5-7), and 70% of

Background Cervical spine injuries (CSI) are rare in trauma patients, at about 9.2–16.5/100,000 inhabitants in Scandinavia and Canada, and the annual incidence of CSI surgeries in Norway is around 3.0/100,000 inhabitants. However, despite their rarity, the incidence of CSI has increased, thereby assuming an increasing need for surgery. Outside of Scandinavia, no data about the incidence of CSI and subsequent surgeries exist. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse CSI epidemiology and surgery in a German city with a Level I trauma centre both to understand the injury and improve needs–based planning. Methods This retrospective, monocentre study included all patients who presented with CSI from 2012–2017 at a university hospital with a Level I trauma centre in a major German city and had permanent residency within the city. Based on the assumption that the patients represented all CSI injuries in the city, as they were treated at the only available Level I trauma centre, the annual incidence of surgeries and neurologic deficits due to CSI were calculated. Results A total of 465 patients with 609 CSI were identified. Of these patients, 61 both received surgery and resided in the city (mean age, 68.1 ± 18.3 years; 26 female, 35 male). The incidence of CSI surgeries was calculated as 3.24/100,000 person years (1.75/100,000 in the upper and 1.54/100,000 in the subaxial cervical spine). Neurologic deficits occurred in 0.64/100,000 person years. The incidence of both surgeries and neurologic deficits showed no significant changes over the 6-year study period. Conclusions Compared to Scandinavia, an increasing annual incidence for CSI surgeries and neurologic deficits were found. For long-term demand planning with adaptability to demographic changes, cross-regional studies including long-term follow-up are necessary.