Epidemiological Trends of Traumatic Nervous System Injuries in a Tertiary Health Institution during the First Year of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in Turkey.

Aim: Traumatic nervous system injuries (TNSIs) remain one of the most debilitating injuries globally, including in Turkey. Despite its popularity, epidemiological studies revealing the true incidence of TNSIs in our country are scarce. This study aims to document the epidemiological trends of TNSIs in the first year of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Çorum, Turkey.

Material and methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the incidence of TNSIs in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital in Çorum from March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021.

Results: Of the 107,100 patients admitted to the ED, 492 (0.4%) were diagnosed with TNSIs. Traumatic head injuries (including scalp and calvarial injuries), traumatic brain injuries (TBIs, excluding scalp and calvarial injuries), traumatic spinal injuries (TSIs), and traumatic peripheral nerve injuries were detected in 262 (53.2%), 141 (28.6%), 268 (54.4%), and 9 (1.8%) patients, respectively. Overall, male predominance was 2/1 (male/female), with a mean age of 45 years. The main cause of trauma was falling (61%), followed by motor vehicle collisions (26%). This was mostly scalp injuries (59%) and calvarial fractures (42%), while subdural (12.8%) and subarachnoid (11.1%) hemorrhages were the predominant TBIs. The majority of TSIs were detected in the lumbar spine (66%). Conservatively treatment was administered to 432 (88%) patients, and 424 (86%) patients recovered completely, while 33 (7%) survived with some degree of motor, sensory, or sphincter deficits, and 35 (7%) died.

Conclusion: This study reveals findings that will effectively guide the steps to increase public health awareness and preventive measures regarding TNSIs in our country.