@article{ref1,
title="The impact of COVID-19 on trauma referrals to a National Neurosurgical Centre",
journal="Irish journal of medical science",
year="2021",
author="Husien, Mohammed Ben and Horan, Jack and Corr, Paula and Nolan, Deirdre and Amoo, Michael and Gilmartin, Brian and Duddy, John C. and Bolger, Ciaran",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on trauma referrals to a National Neurosurgical Centre during the first wave of COVID-19 in Ireland.
METHODS: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of all trauma referrals to the National Neurosurgical Centre at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, during the period March 1-May 31, 2019 and 2020. Patient characteristics including age, sex, alcohol use, anticoagulant/antiplatelet use and initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) were recorded. Patients were grouped based on trauma aetiology and diagnosis.
RESULTS: There were 527 and 437 trauma referrals in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Overall, there was a 17.1% reduction in trauma referrals between 2019 and 2020. Traumatic brain injury, spinal injury and cranial fractures referrals reduced 25% (375 vs 283), 59% (32 vs 13) and 18% (39 vs 32) respectively from 2019 to 2020. Low-energy falls below 2 m was the most common mechanism of injury and accounted for 60 and 61% of referrals in 2019 and 2020. No reduction in road traffic collision (33 vs 34) and assault (40 vs 40) referrals were observed between years.
CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 has had a significant impact on both the volume and mechanism of trauma referrals to the National Neurosurgical Centre in Ireland, with falls below 2 m the most common mechanism of trauma referral across both years. The workload remains substantial and a fully resourced neurosurgical department is essential in any future COVID-19 waves. Keywords: CoViD-19-Road-Traffic Language: en
",
language="en",
issn="0021-1265",
doi="10.1007/s11845-021-02504-7",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11845-021-02504-7"
}