Pattern of Oral and Maxillofacial New Referrals During COVID-19 Lockdown

ABSTRACT@#The study aimed to quantify the impact of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic on new case referrals to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) service. The researchers retrospectively reviewed all new referrals received during a government-imposed 47-day lockdown period and a similar period pre-lockdown as a control group. The main outcome was the differences in the number of new case referrals between the two periods. The contributing clinical and demographic factors were also explored. Appropriate bivariate statistics were computed and the level of significance was set at 0.05 for all tests. A total of 309 referrals were received during the study period. There was a reduction of new referrals due to the lockdown from five to two cases per day. There was a statistically significant reduction of cases referred from outpatient and emergency departments. There was also a statistically significant difference with regard to home address distance to the centre. Medically compromised and orofacial infection referrals were not affected by lockdown. The lockdown imposed due to the pandemic has significantly impacted the pattern of new OMS referrals. Referrals for orofacial infections, the medically compromised and inpatients were minimally affected by lockdown.

Intraoperative Computed Tomography Image Fusion for Orbital Blowout Fracture Reconstruction

ABSTRACT@#Intraoperative computed tomography (CT) has been previously described and acknowledged for its use in orbital blowout fracture reconstructions. We described a clinical case series managed by this technique combined with intraoperative image fusion for accuracy in orbital implant position. In total, eight patients who sustained a total number of 19 orbital wall fractures were described. From the total number of 19 blowout orbital fracture reconstructions comprised of medial and inferior (floor) orbital fractures, malposition was identified in a total of four orbital implants by using image fusion. All cases of implant malposition were immediately revised intraoperatively. Subsequent fusion was carried out to confirm whether the revision was satisfactorily achieved. We found that the intraoperative image fusion technique utilised to determine orbital implant position, especially at the posterior ledge, further augmented the role of intraoperative CT scanning. Image fusion conceptually provides an immediate, real-time, and objective solution for intraoperative image analysis and potentially eliminates problems with misaligned CT images. It also reduces the need for the surgeon to ‘eye-ball’ the CT images acquired or the need for additional intraoperative time, since the patient’s head orientation is always axially at random during the acquisition of the CT. Conventional methods for CT image assessment are subjected to one’s own interpretation and may introduce inconsistent or longer intraoperative decision-making. The technique facilitates intraoperative decision-making and reduces the risk of orbital implant malposition in orbital blowout fracture reconstructions. Hence, surgical complication in relation to orbital implant malposition in orbital blowout fracture management could be minimised. In addition, no further postoperative imaging is required.