The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Penetrating Neurotrauma at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

ABSTRACT:

Background/objective

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the global delivery of health care. Recent data suggest a possible impact of the pandemic on patterns of neurotrauma. The aim was to assess the impact of the pandemic on the incidence of neurotrauma, with a focus on cranial gunshot wounds (cGSWs) at a large Midwestern level 1 trauma center.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of our trauma registry from March through September 2020 and compared it to the same months in 2019. Odds ratios were utilized to assess for differences in patient demographics, injury characteristics, rates of neurotrauma, and rates of cGSWs.

Results

A total of 1188 patients presented with neurotrauma, 558 in 2019 and 630 in 2020. The majority of patients were male (

SUBMITTER: Yang GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9085351 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature