The impact of COVID-19 on spinal cord injuries and trauma at a tertiary referral centre in Sydney.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has yielded far-reaching consequences for individual health systems as well as society. Although several studies have investigated epidemiological trends due to the pandemic-associated restrictions in patients requiring surgery for general surgical, trauma and orthopaedic aetiologies, there has been no assessment of the impact on spinal trauma and surgery in Australia. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine these changes at an Australian level one tertiary referral spinal cord injury (SCI) centre.

Impact of COVID-19-related social restrictions on orthopaedic trauma in a level 1 trauma centre in Sydney: the first wave.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected communities worldwide. This study examines the impact that public health measures to control viral spread have had on orthopaedic trauma presenting to an Australian level 1 trauma centre. We hypothesized that the volume of orthopaedic trauma in the period of social distancing would decrease, and the mechanisms of injury differ, compared to pre-pandemic times.