COVID-19 orthopaedic trauma volumes: a Canadian experience during lockdown and staged reopening.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to report the impact of public health measures (PHM), including their relaxation, on surgical orthopaedic trauma volumes. We hypothesize an initial reduction in orthopaedic trauma volumes during lockdown followed by a surge as Stages 1 and 2 of reopening progressed in Summer 2020. METHODS: All unscheduled surgical orthopaedic trauma cases from March through August were retrospectively reviewed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from 2008 to 2020. Trauma volumes from 2008 to 2019 were used to model expected 2020 volumes, and multivariable Poisson regression was used to determine the effect of PHM on orthopaedic trauma volumes. RESULTS: A total of 22,331 trauma orthopaedic surgeries were included. During lockdown, there was a significant decrease in trauma volume compared with expected (-14.2%, -25.7 to -10.5%, P < .001) and there were significantly fewer ankle fractures (-17.8%, -30.9 to -2.2%, P = .027). During reopening Stage 2, there was a significant increase in trauma volume (+8.9%, +2.2 to +16.1%, P = .009). There was no change in the incidence of polytrauma, hip fracture, or wrist fracture during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first report of a surge in trauma volumes as PHM are relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability to predict decreases in trauma volumes with strict PHM and subsequent surges with reopening can help inform operating room time management and staffing in future waves of COVID-19 or infectious disease pandemics. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic - Level III.

Management of patients with hip fracture receiving anticoagulation: What are we doing in Canada?

BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are rapidly replacing warfarin for therapeutic anticoagulation; however, many DOACs are irreversible and may complicate bleeding in emergent situations such as hip fracture. In this setting, there is a lack of clear guidelines for the timing of surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current practices of Canadian orthopedic surgeons who manage patients with hip fracture receiving anticoagulation. METHODS: In January-March 2018, we administered a purpose-specific cross-sectional survey to all currently practising orthopedic surgeons in Canada who had performed hip fracture surgery in 2017. The survey evaluated approaches to decision-making and timing of surgery in patients with hip fracture receiving anticoagulation. RESULTS: A total of 280 surgeons representing a mix of academic and community practice, seniority and fellowship training responded. Nearly one-quarter of respondents (66 [23.4%]) were members of the Canadian Orthopaedic Trauma Society (COTS). Almost three-quarters (206 [73.6%]) felt that adequate clinical guidelines for patients with hip fracture receiving anticoagulation did not exist, and 177 (61.9%) indicated that anesthesiology or internal medicine had a greater influence on the timing of surgery than the attending surgeon. A total of 117/273 respondents (42.9%) indicated that patients taking warfarin should have immediate surgery (with or without reversal), compared to 63/270 (23.3%) for patients taking a DOAC (p < 0.001). Members of COTS were more likely than nonmembers to advocate for immediate surgery in all patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is wide variability in Canada in the management of patients with hip fracture receiving anticoagulation. Improved multidisciplinary communication, prospectively evaluated treatment guidelines and focus on knowledge translation may add clarity to this issue. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

FROST: Factors Predicting Orthopaedic Trauma Volumes.

INTRODUCTION: Orthopaedic surgeons often speculate weather and season impact the nature and volume of surgical trauma. Little evidence exists to support this. We aimed to identify the relationship between weather conditions, time of year, surgical orthopaedic trauma volumes, after-hours surgery, and surgical wait times. METHODS: Unscheduled surgical orthopaedic cases were retrospectively reviewed at major adult hospitals in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, over an eleven-year period (2008-2018). Weather variables were gathered and a predictive model for ice was generated. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to determine the effect of weather and time of year on orthopaedic trauma volumes and after-hours surgery. Linear regression was used to investigate surgical wait times. RESULTS: 41,421 unscheduled orthopaedic trauma surgeries were analyzed against daily weather patterns. 49% of all surgery performed was for hip (26.4%) or ankle fractures (22.6%). Same day snow (p=0.002) and ice for two days prior (p=0.031; p=0.003) were significantly associated with increased overall trauma volumes. Same day snow (p<0.001) and ice (p=0.002), as well as ice two days prior (p=0.001), predicted a significant increase in ankle fracture volumes. There was no correlation between weather patterns and hip fracture volumes. Independent of weather, time of year was highly predictive of large swings in orthopaedic trauma volumes and increased wait times. Generally, when patient volumes increased so did after-hours surgery. CONCLUSION: Winter and summer months as well as ice and daily snow contributed to the most significant increases in overall orthopaedic trauma volumes. On a snowy day in February with ice present for three consecutive days, trauma volumes increased as much as 71%. Despite this, resources dedicated to orthopaedic trauma are consistent throughout the year, which highlights the need to allocate resources for orthopaedic trauma surgery based on seasonal demands. We suggest our predictive model be used to guide the amount of operating room time reserved for orthopaedic trauma to better reflect expected volumes. This contrasts the current system which relies on after-hours surgeries and increased patient wait-times to compensate for increased orthopaedic trauma volumes. Since orthopaedic trauma can be predicted by weather patterns, interventions should aim to decrease weather-related orthopaedic trauma and reduce the burden prolonged wait times have on our system.

Efficacy of Melatonin in Children With Postconcussive Symptoms: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 25% of children with concussion have persistent postconcussive symptoms (PPCS) with resultant significant impacts on quality of life. Melatonin has significant neuroprotective properties, and promising preclinical data suggest its potential to improve outcomes after traumatic brain injury. We hypothesized that treatment with melatonin would result in a greater decrease in PPCS symptoms when compared with a placebo. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of 3 or 10 mg of melatonin compared with a placebo (NCT01874847). We included youth (ages 8-18 years) with PPCS at 4 to 6 weeks after mild traumatic brain injury. Those with significant medical or psychiatric histories or a previous concussion within the last 3 months were excluded. The primary outcome was change in the total youth self-reported Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory score measured after 28 days of treatment. Secondary outcomes included change in health-related quality of life, cognition, and sleep. RESULTS: Ninety-nine children (mean age: 13.8 years; SD = 2.6 years; 58% girls) were randomly assigned. Symptoms improved over time with a median Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory change score of -21 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -16 to -27). There was no significant effect of melatonin when compared with a placebo in the intention-to-treat analysis (3 mg melatonin, -2 [95% CI: -13 to 6]; 10 mg melatonin, 4 [95% CI: -7 to 14]). No significant group differences in secondary outcomes were observed. Side effects were mild and similar to the placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Children with PPCS had significant impairment in their quality of life. Seventy-eight percent demonstrated significant recovery between 1 and 3 months postinjury. This clinical trial does not support the use of melatonin for the treatment of pediatric PPCS.