Effect of COVID 19 pandemic on oral maxillofacial trauma casualties: A cross-sectional analytical study at a regional trauma centre, Chidambaram

COVID -19 pandemic has unprecedented effect globally. The world health organization has declared it to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The pandemic has a widespread effect on all sectors particularly on health care and management. This has an indirect effect on the lifestyle of people. Various studies have shown that there is a drastic reduction in cases with heart ailments and other major systemic diseases during this era of pandemic. This is a study conducted on trauma cases that has been reported during this pandemic before and after lockdown to analyze the effect of lifestyle on road traffic accidents, to differentiate the mode of maxillofacial injuries, to assess the severity of injury. AIM: To study and compare prevalence, mode, severity and the effect of lifestyle on maxillofacial injury reported at casualty during lockdown. OBJECTIVE: 1) To estimate the total prevalence of OMF trauma casualties for the past 7 months (Jan 2020–July 2020) at a Regional Trauma Centre, Chidambaram. 2) Assess the prevalence of OMF trauma casualties during the pre & post lockdown period at a Regional Trauma Centre, Chidambaram. 3) Assess the mode of injury in relation to OMF trauma casualties during the pre & post lockdown period at a Regional Trauma Centre, Chidambaram. 4) Assess the severity of injury (soft tissue and bony) in relation to OMF trauma casualties during the pre & post lockdown period at a Regional Trauma Centre, Chidambaram. 5) To compare the effect of alcohol in relation to OMF trauma casualties during the pre & post lockdown period at a Regional Trauma Centre, Chidambaram.