A Cross-sectional Study on the Impact of the Prevention and Control Response of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children's Orthopedic Trauma in Shanghai
Abstract Background: The Chinese government has taken strong prevention and control measures against the COVID-19 pandemic, and has achieved phased victory in the fight against it. The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to study the influence of governmental prevention and control response on orthopedic trauma in children.Methods: We collected and reviewed data on orthopedic trauma from the first half of 2018, 2019, and 2020. The data were divided according to the time of prevention and control response level in 2020. By comparing the relevant data from orthopedic emergency and operating rooms from the past three years, the influence of governmental pandemic prevention measures on orthopedic trauma in children was analyzed. Results: A total of 36301 children were included in the study cohort. Before the prevention and control response, the data of the orthopedic emergency department in 2020 was the same as the previous two years. Under the first-level response, the number of fractures, open injuries, radial head subluxation, and surgery were significantly reduced, and the severity of patients with surgery was also significantly reduced. Under the second-level response, the number of operations began to increase, and the severity of the disease also began to rise. Under the third-level response control, the number of fractures, open injuries, and operations have returned to the levels of the previous two years. The severity of the operation has also returned to its previous level. The number of subluxations of the radial head is still different from before.Conclusion: The pandemic of COVID-19 has affected the social activities of Shanghai residents and reduced the incidence of orthopedic trauma in children. With the control of the pandemic, the living conditions of Shanghai residents have basically recovered.Level of Evidence: Retrospective study Level II