Effect of Statewide Social Distancing and Stay-at-Home Directives on Orthopaedic Trauma at a Southwestern Level 1 Trauma Center During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives: To compare orthopaedic trauma volume and mechanism of injury prior to and during statewide social distancing and stay-at-home directives Design: Retrospective Setting: Level 1 trauma center Patients/Participants: One thousand one hundred thirteen patients sustaining orthopaedic trauma injuries between March 17 and April 30 of years 2018, 2019, and 2020 Intervention: Consultation for orthopaedic trauma injuries at a level 1 trauma center Main Outcome Measurements: Number of consults, mechanism of injury frequency, type of injury frequency Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, orthopaedic trauma consult number decreased Injuries due to gunshot wounds increased and those due to automobile versus pedestrian accidents decreased Time-to-presentation increased and length of stay decreased Operative consults remained unchanged Conclusions: Orthopaedic trauma injuries continued to occur during the COVID-19 pandemic at an overall decreased rate, however, with a different distribution in mechanism and type of injury Level of Evidence: Level III See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence Address correspondence to Ryan J Lubbe, MD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine, 1701 W Charleston Blvd, Suite 440, Las Vegas, NV 89102, USA (email: ryan lubbe@unlv edu) The authors report no conflict of interest The authors received no funding for this study Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc All rights reserved