COVID-19 and maxillofacial trauma: are we back to where we left off?

Design: This wasa single-centre cross-sectional retrospective study. Background: Facial trauma is inevitable in the field of maxillofacial surgery. Restrictive measures imposed during the pandemic increased patients’ anxiety and social awareness. Despite these changes, trauma continues through the mechanisms of falls, motor‒vehicle accidents (MVAs), alleged assaults, and other aetiologies. Objective: To identify the changes in the patterns of maxillofacial trauma and types of fractures that occurred during and after the pandemic and the impact of the pandemic on maxillofacial trauma in the Middle East. Patients & Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively at the King Hussein Medical Center, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, from May 2022 to May 2024. The inclusion criterion wasthe surgical repair of facial fractures during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients of both sexes were included if they were under the age of 75. The exclusion criterion was the failure to fulfil the inclusion criterion. Statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS v29 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, US), with significant results indicated by a p value <0.05. Results: Patients were divided into two groups: patients in group 1 underwent surgery during the pandemic, and patients in group 2 underwent surgery after it had been declared that the pandemic was over. A total of 136 patients were included in this retrospective analysis. Fall injuries were the most common mechanism of injury in group 1, although the proportion of patients who had experienced MVAs was also high, whereas in group 2, the prevalence of MVA was twice as high as in group 1. There were statistically significant differences in the mechanism of trauma and the type of fracture between both groups, both when considered together and separately (p <0.001). Sex was not found to be a significant factor affecting the mechanism or type of fracture (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Maxillofacial trauma can be controlled but cannot be prevented. An emphasis on educating the population about safety measures at home, in workplaces, and/or while driving is needed. Coordination between civil defence departments and hospitals playsan important role in educating the population and reducing the incidence and prevalence of trauma.