Change in Trauma Patterns in Hilly Areas of Northern India during Nationwide Lockdown: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: The countries all over the world are experiencing COVID-19 pandemic. This has led to a change in the operational guidelines in all trauma centres. Lockdown, limiting vehicle traffic, has affected trauma patterns everywhere. Aim: To study the effect of lockdown on orthopaedic trauma in hilly areas of Northern India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional retrospectively study collected the data of patients admitted in the emergency trauma ward like age, gender, mechanism of injury, fracture type, number of emergency admissions, and number of surgeries pertaining to the complete lockdown period (25th March to 3rd May 2020 i.e., 40 days) at our hospital situated in the hilly areas of North India. This was compared with the trauma cases dealt during the same time period last year (2019). Results: More than 50% decrease in the outpatient load did not parallel to decrease in admissions in emergency department (164 in 2019 vs 169 in 2020). However, operated trauma cases did decline from 62 in 2019 to 51 in 2020. Some injuries like fracture proximal tibia, cut injuries of hand with sharp object increased while incidence of fragility fractures has remained the same. Conclusion: The trauma pattern in and around the hilly places in our area of Northern India portrays a unique picture where one does not see a foreseeable decline in trauma despite the lockdown. With the lockdown in effect, some patterns have emerged which may prove to be useful adjuncts in our efforts to improve public health and the trauma burden.

Keywords

• accidents
• coronavirus
• covid-19
• mountain
• pandemic