| Abstract [eng] |
Background: Injuries to the maxillofacial region are a commonly encountered condition globally. However, there is currently a lack of research conducted in Lithuania that aims to investigate the alteration in types of maxillofacial trauma during the first and second COVID-19 lockdowns. Aim of the study: To assess the main maxillofacial region injuries and their causes, and treatment methods and to analyze the distribution of injuries during the COVID–19 pandemic. To determine the impact of the lockdown on the etiological and demographic prevalence of injuries and the availability of medical services. Materials and the methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records of patients treated at Vilnius University Hospital Zalgiris clinic due to maxillofacial injuries was performed. The period March to May 2019–2022 years was reviewed, and the records with IDC-10 codes ranging from S00 to S09 were included in to the study. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 25.0. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the distribution of variables according to the normal distribution. The chi–square test was used to evaluate the difference between groups. Spearman's correlation was used to determine the relationships between rank variables. The results are presented in tables and charts drawn using Microsoft Office Word 2019. In order to evaluate the influence of quarantine on the prevalence and etiology of maxillofacial trauma, a linear regression analysis was performed. Results: The study involved a total of 172 patients, with a mean age of 24.88 (±19.80) and a female-to-male ratio of 1:2.25. The results revealed that mandible fractures constituted 45.9% (n=79) of the cases, while soft tissue trauma, maxilla and zygomatic bone fractures, and tooth traumas accounted for 30.85% (n=53), 16.9% (n=29), and 5.2% (n=9) of the cases, respectively. Falls were found to be the most common cause of injuries (58%), followed by violence (29.1%) and sports-related traumas (4.1%). The number of traumas recorded during the period of March to July 2019 (n=105) was significantly higher than the number of traumas during the first COVID-19 quarantine period (n=67) (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed in terms of medical services provided during both lockdowns (p>0.05). |
