694 The Impact Of COVID-19 On Trauma Referrals to a National Neurosurgical Centre

Horan, J; Duddy, J; Gilmartin, B; Nolan, D; Corr, P; Husien, M B; Bolger, C

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on trauma referrals to a National Neurosurgical Centre. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of all trauma referrals to the National Neurosurgical Centre at Beaumont Hospital, during the period March 1(st) – May 31(st), 2019 and 2020. Patient characteristics including age, sex, alcohol use, anticoagulant/antiplatelet use and initial Glasgow Coma Scale were recorded. Patients were grouped by trauma aetiology and diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 527 and 437 trauma referrals in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Overall, there was a 17.1% reduction in trauma referrals between years. Traumatic brain injury, spinal injury and cranial fractures referrals reduced 25% (375 vs 283), 59% (32 vs 13) and 18% (39 vs 32) respectively from 2019 to 2020. Low energy falls below 2 metres were the most common mechanism of injury and accounted for 60 and 61% of referrals in 2019 and 2020. No reduction in road traffic collision (33 vs 34) and assault (40 vs 40) referrals were observed between years. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the volume and mechanism of trauma referrals to the National Neurosurgical Centre in Ireland, with falls below 2 metres the most common mechanism of trauma referral across both years.