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 before 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: Statewide social distancing and stay-at-home directives. Main Outcome Measurements: Number of consults, mechanism of injury frequency, and 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.