The impact of COVID-19 on spinal cord injuries and trauma at a tertiary referral centre in Sydney

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has yielded far-reaching consequences for individual health systems as well as society. Although several studies have investigated epidemiological trends due to the pandemic-associated restrictions in patients requiring surgery for general surgical, trauma and orthopaedic aetiologies, there has been no assessment of the impact on spinal trauma and surgery in Australia. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine these changes at an Australian level one tertiary referral spinal cord injury (SCI) centre. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients presenting to this institution with spinal injuries requiring surgery, from two time periods [one prior to the pandemic, and one during]. We analysed demographics, injury mechanism and characteristics, and surgical factors to identify significant differences between the cohorts. RESULTS: There were 7.3% fewer spinal operations performed in the COVID-19 affected period. Although patient demographics were unchanged, the total number of emergency operations performed for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident decreased by 44% compared to the pre-COVID cohort (P=0.049). The median number of spinal levels affected by injury decreased, and there was a 30% decrease in American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) type A injuries during the pandemic (P=0.006), with a corresponding increase in ASIA B injuries (P=0.032). CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic (and its associated social restrictions) has influenced the patterns of spinal injuries treated at this tertiary level institute during this time. We observed an overall reduction in the volume of emergency procedures performed during the pandemic. There was no change in the proportion of spinal cord injuries when compared to the pre-pandemic period; however, the severity of spinal cord injuries was diminished during the pandemic.