Facial Trauma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the regional trends in facial trauma at a tertiary care, level 1 trauma center in Central New York. Methods The study sample was derived from the population of patients who presented with facial trauma to the emergency department at the Downtown and/or Community Campuses of SUNY Upstate University Hospital between March 1, 2020, and May 15, 2020, and compared to two historical controls in 2018 and 2019. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were calculated for study variables in each cohort. Poisson regression was used to compare incident rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals with significance set at P < .05. Results Sixty five patients presented during the COVID-19 pandemic, while 83 presented in 2019 and 95 in 2018. For the study period, the most common mechanism was assault in 47.7%. IRR was significantly lower than in 2018 (IRR = 1.46, P = .018), but not significantly different from 2019 (IRR = 1.28, P = .14). During lockdown, IRR was significantly decreased compared to 2019 (IRR = 1.84, P = .0029) and 2018 (IRR = 2.16, P < .001). Conclusion The volume of facial trauma seen in Central New York appears undeterred in the absence of “shelter in place” orders. Analysis of pandemic and regional trauma variations can offer valuable insight for improved resource allocation to better prepare for potentially high-risk procedures.

Changes in Hospital Admissions for Facial Fractures During and After Covid 19 Pandemic: National Multicentric Epidemiological Analysis on 2,938 Patients.

“…For instance, with many recreational facilities and public spaces closed, people may be engaging in different types of activities at home, potentially leading to a shift in the causes of facial fractures. Similarly, the increase in work from home arrangements could potentially lead to a decrease injuries, including facial fractures [17][18][19]. This shift in epidemiology is clearly illustrated in the results of our study.…”

The Effects of COVID-19 Surges on Otolaryngology Consults

“…When comparing the type of consults placed during COVID-19 surges with the historical data, an increased percentage was found to be inpatient consults when compared to consults placed from the ED. This finding corresponds with the decreased rate of ED visits during COVID peaks, which has been suspected to be a result of the culmination of public concern about exposure to COVID-19 infection, the implementation of strict social distancing guidelines, and the subsequently reduced rate of trauma [ 5 , 10 - 12 ]. No statistically significant differences were found in regard to the timing or weekday consultation rates.…”

“…Previously reported studies out of our institution demonstrated an increased otolaryngology consult volume in the years just prior to the current study. During the COVID-19 pandemic, another study found that the incidence of facial trauma presenting to our hospital decreased during the COVID-19 statewide lockdown orders but remained unchanged after these orders were lifted, but COVID-19 rates remained high in the region [ 10 ]. Decreased trauma and facial trauma rates during COVID-19 peaks are well documented in the literature and have been considered to be effects of social distancing and stay-at-home directives [ 11 , 12 ].…”

Repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology of facial fractures: a retrospective cohort study

“…Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) is an infectious disease caused by COVID-19 which has negatively impacted the health system, causing changes in the epidemiological pattern of facial fractures, mainly in the incidence and etiology [ 12 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the adoption of social restriction measures to isolate the community to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and differ according to the geographic area they occur.…”