RSTN COVID Hand: Hand trauma in the United Kingdom and Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly impacted the delivery of hand surgery services throughout the UK and Europe; from triage to treatment. Our aim was to assess the impact on management of common hand trauma injuries to inform future service delivery and research. The Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network led a service evaluation during the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020. Data was collected on hand injury management during the COVID-19 pandemic and was compared to the management clinicians would have delivered prior. Across 35 hand surgery units, 2540 patients with hand trauma were included. There was an increase of between 3% and 7% in non-operative management of injuries, apart from flexor tendon injuries where management remained unchanged. Cases triaged by a consultant doubled, with a 22% in

SUBMITTER: Shaw AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10148718 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature