THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE ORTHOPAEDIC AND TRAUMATOLOGY DEPARTMENT: AN ITALIAN HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE.

A novel strain of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is challenging the global healthcare system. It has affected about 100,000,000 people to date, resulting in about 2,300,000 deaths worldwide. This study aims to evaluate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on the activity of the Orthopaedic and Traumatology department in an Italian Covid-hospital. A retrospective descriptive analysis was performed using monthly data collected in 2019 and 2020 to compare data from: orthopaedic emergency room attendance, number and type of surgeries, and orthopaedic outpatient attendance. A specific focus on the 8-week timeframe of Italian lockdown and the same period of Italian lockdown in 2019 was also performed. Moreover, data collected during Italian lockdown was analysed with respect to Covid-19 incidence. Massive changes were observed in all of the variables analysed, in particular, trauma activities did not stop and, in some cases, experienced an increase.