Increased proportion of alcohol-related trauma in a South London major trauma centre during lockdown: A cohort study.

PURPOSE: Alcohol has been associated with 10%-35% trauma admissions and 40% trauma-related deaths globally. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom entered a state of "lockdown" on March 23, 2020. Restrictions were most significantly eased on June 1, 2020, when shops and schools re-opened. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of lockdown on alcohol-related trauma admissions. METHODS: All adult patients admitted as "trauma calls" to a London major trauma centre during April 2018 and April 2019 (pre-lockdown, n = 316), and 1st April-31st May 2020 (lockdown, n = 191) had electronic patient records analysed retrospectively. Patients' blood alcohol level and records of intoxication were used to identify alcohol-related trauma. Trauma admissions from pre-lockdown and lockdown cohorts were compared using multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Alcohol-related trauma was present in a significantly higher proportion of adult trauma calls during lockdown (lockdown 60/191 (31.4%), vs. pre-lockdown 62/316 (19.6%); (odds ratio (OR): 0.83, 95% CI: 0.38-1.28, p < 0.001). Lockdown was also associated with increased weekend admissions of trauma (lockdown 125/191 weekend (65.5%) vs. pre-lockdown 179/316 (56.7%); OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.79 to -0.02, p = 0.041). No significant difference existed in the age, gender, or mechanism between pre-lockdown and lockdown cohorts (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The United Kingdom lockdown was independently associated with an increased proportion of alcohol-related trauma. Trauma admissions were increased during the weekend when staffing levels are reduced. With the possibility of further global "waves" of COVID-19, the long-term repercussions of dangerous alcohol-related behaviour to public health must be addressed.

Does skin preparation alter suture strength characteristics? Assessing the effect of chlorhexidine and isopropyl alcohol on common skin closure suture material.

Sutures are essential to approximate tissues and enable healing by first intention until a wound regains its original tensile strength. The mechanical properties of sutures are well documented, but the effects of exposing sutures to skin preparation solutions used in surgery are not. This study was performed to investigate whether 2% chlorhexidine and 70% isopropyl alcohol skin preparation, commonly used prior to incision and prior to closure, has any effect on the mechanical properties of several commonly used surgical suture types. Four suture types were soaked in either 2% chlorhexidine and 70% isopropyl alcohol or Hartmann's solution for 5 minutes. All sutures were left to dry for 11 days before being tested to failure using an Instron 3367 tensile testing machine. Testing revealed significant differences in failure load, ultimate tensile stress, and Young's modulus between suture types (P < .05). No significant differences in failure load (P = .98), ultimate tensile stress (P = .21), or Young's modulus (P = .22) were observed between the test group and the control group when comparing sutures of the same type. This study demonstrates that chlorhexidine/isopropyl skin preparation solutions do not significantly change the mechanical properties of suture materials exposed to them.