Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the epidemiology of maxillofacial trauma activity: a French multicentre comparative study

M. De Boutray (1) , J-D Kun-Darbois (2) , N. Sigaux (3) , J-C Lutz (4) , A. Veyssiere (5) , A. Sesque (6) , C. Savoldelli (7) , Stéphanie Dakpé (8, 9) , H. Bertin (10) , B. Lallemant (11) , A. Llobet (12) , M. Du Cailar (13) , F. Lauwers (13) , Julien Davrou (14) , J-M Foletti (15, 16)

1 Hôpital Gui de Chauliac [CHU Montpellier]
2 CHU Angers - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Angers
3 CHLS - Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud [CHU - HCL]
4 CHU Strasbourg - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire [Strasbourg]
5 Service de Chirurgie Maxillo-Faciale, Plastique et Reconstructrice, Chirurgie Orale et implantologie [CHU Caen]
6 CHU Estaing [Clermont-Ferrand]
7 CHU Nice - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
8 CHU Amiens-Picardie
9 CHIMERE - CHirurgie, IMagerie et REgénération tissulaire de l’extrémité céphalique - Caractérisation morphologique et fonctionnelle - UR UPJV 7516
10 Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale et stomatologie [CHU Nantes]
11 CHU Nîmes - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nîmes
12 CH Perpignan
13 Service Chirurgie maxillo-faciale et plastique de la face [CHU Toulouse]
14 CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière [AP-HP]
15 LBA - Laboratoire de Biologie Appliquée
16 LA CONCEPTION - Hôpital de la Conception [CHU - APHM]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has had a major impact on medical and surgical activities. A decline in facial trauma incidence was noticed during the lockdown period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the decline in maxillofacial trauma in France during this particular period. A retrospective multicentre comparative study was initiated in 13 major French public hospital centres. The incidence of facial trauma requiring surgery during the first month of lockdown was compared to that during equivalent periods in 2018 and 2019. Differences in the types of trauma were also analysed. Thirteen maxillofacial departments participated in the study. A significant decline in maxillofacial trauma volumes was observed when compared to equivalent periods in 2018 and 2019 (106 patients compared to 318 and 296 patients, respectively), with an average reduction of 65.5% (P = 0.00087). The proportion of trauma due to sports and leisure was reduced when compared to reports in the literature. As a consequence, in the context of a pandemic, the material and human resources related to this activity could be reallocated to the management of other pathologies that cannot be postponed.

Mots clés: COVID-19; epidemiology; facial fracture; lockdown; maxillofacial trauma

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

M. De Boutray, J-D Kun-Darbois, N. Sigaux, J-C Lutz, A. Veyssiere, et al.. Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the epidemiology of maxillofacial trauma activity: a French multicentre comparative study. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2021, 50 (6), pp.750-755. ⟨10.1016/j.ijom.2020.10.005⟩. ⟨hal-03599051⟩