Significant Effect of the Coronavirus 2020 Lockdown on Maxillofacial Trauma in Greece

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the impact of the coronavirus 2020 lockdown on the etiology of maxillofacial trauma in Greece and compare our findings from this time period with two other equal periods.

Records of patients admitted with diagnosis of maxillofacial fractures in three time periods: March 2006 to March 2007, March 2013 to March 2014 and March 2020 to March 2021 were retrieved from the archive our department, and analyzed for this study. Data were analyzed in a coded de-identified manner relating to patients demographics, fracture incidence, type, site, etiology and treatment. Hospital stay and concomitant injuries were also recorded. We hypothesized that the number of facial fractures cases would decrease and that the etiologic distribution of trauma would change due to the social distancing policies during the Covid 2020 lockdown period.

The number of patients admitted and fractures sustained were significantly lower during the pandemic than during the economic crisis and before. Despite the obvious decline of the number of maxillofacial trauma patients by 54% and their respected fractures, the incidence of violence associated trauma has been constantly rising. The decline of road traffic accidents related trauma was also evident.

Our study has allowed an objective assessment of the decrease of the emergency maxillofacial trauma service during the Covid-20 lockdown. The benefit of this significant reduction in facial injury cases is that resources can be allocated to the management of head and neck malignancies and infections.