Comparison of the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic with a normal period in terms of orthopaedic trauma: Data from a level 1 trauma centre

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics and distribution of trauma surgeries performed in the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the second phase of the pandemic, and the normal period before the pandemic. Methods: Three different time periods were determined.Group 1 represented the first wave of the pandemic, in which lockdowns and restrictions were strictly applied and only emergency and trauma surgeries were performed, between 1 April and 31 May 2020. Group 2 represented the second wave of the pandemic, during which restrictions were not applied and only emergency and trauma surgeries were performed, from 1 September to 31 October 2020. Group 3 represented the normal period before the pandemic, including surgeries performed between 1 September and 31 October 2019. In addition, patients in each group were divided into two groups as younger than 16 or older than 16 in order to understand the difference between paediatric and adult orthopaedictraumas. The distribution of patients and their fractures were evaluated. Results: In Group 1, the rates of intra-articular fractures, distal extremity fractures, and proximal humerus fractures decreased, while the rate of proximal femur fractures increased (P < 0.05 for all). The frequency of hand fractures treated in Groups 1 and 2 compared to Group 3 was reduced (P< 0.05 for both). There was no statistically significant difference between Groups 2 and 3 for fractures in different parts of the body except for hand fractures (P = 0.001 for hand fractures, P> 0.05 for the other fractures). Conclusion: We observed that the frequency of fractures decreased, and the distribution changed due to severe restrictions and lockdowns in the first wave of the pandemic. When the restrictions and lockdowns were removed in the second wave, the frequency of fractures decreased, but the distribution of fractures was similar to the normal period in 2019.