Retrospective analysis of medical emergencies in an oral emergency department.

Background: To retrospectively analyze the rescue of medical emergencies and critical patients in the oral emergency department in a hospital during the past 14 years; analyze the general condition of patients, their diagnosis, etiological factors, and outcomes of the disease, so as to improve the ability of oral medical staff to deal with emergencies; and optimize the emergency procedures and resource allocation in such departments.

Material and methods: Data and related information of critical patient emergency rescue from the Emergency Department of the Hospital of Stomatology, Peking University from January 2006 to December 2019, were analyzed.

Results: A total of 53 critical patients were rescued in the oral emergency department in the past 14 years, which is an average of four cases per year, with an incidence rate of 0.00506%. The main type of emergency included hemorrhagic shock and active hemorrhage, with the highest incidence being in the age group of 19-40 years old. Among these cases, 67.92% (36/53) developed emergency and critical diseases before visiting the oral emergency department and 41.51% (22/53) had systemic diseases. After rescue, a total of 48 patients (90.57%) had stable vital signs and 5 (9.43%) died.

Conclusions: Oral doctors and other medical staff should be able to rapidly identify medical emergencies in oral emergency departments and commence emergency treatment. The department should be equipped with relevant first-aid drugs and devices, and medical staff should be regularly trained in practical first-aid skills. Patients with oral and maxillofacial trauma, massive hemorrhage and systemic diseases should be evaluated and treated according to their conditions and systemic organ function to prevent and reduce medical emergencies.