694 The Impact Of COVID-19 On Trauma Referrals to a National Neurosurgical Centre

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of COVID-19 on trauma referrals to a National Neurosurgical Centre.MethodRetrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of all trauma referrals to the National Neurosurgical Centre at Beaumont Hospital, during the period March 1st – May 31st, 2019 and 2020. Patient characteristics including age, sex, alcohol use, anticoagulant/antiplatelet use and initial Glasgow Coma Scale were recorded. Patients were grouped by trauma aetiology and diagnosis.ResultsThere were 527 and 437 trauma referrals in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Overall, there was a 17.1% reduction in trauma referrals between years. 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 metres were 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.ConclusionsCOVID-19 has had a significant impact on the volume and mechanism of trauma referrals to the National Neurosurgical Centre in Ireland, with falls below 2 metres the most common mechanism of trauma referral across both years.