Characteristics of Maxilllofacial Trauma Patiens before and during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Oral and Maxilllofacial Surgery Department of Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital Bandung

Introduction: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, motor vehicle accidents, falls, physical assaults, and sports injuries were the main causes of maxillofacial trauma. The existence of interventions to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in home-centered social activities in the community. This also contributes to alterations in the aetiology of maxillofacial trauma that occur worldwide and may affect other characteristics of this entity. Methods:This is a retrospective study conducted at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, and was carried out in September–December 2022. The population of this study were maxillofacial trauma patients with diagnoses of vulnus (laceratum, schissum, punctum, and morsum), frontal, mandibular, maxillary fractures, orbit, naso-orbito-ethmoid (NOE), zygomaticus, and dentoalveolar fractures before the 2018–2019 pandemic period and during the 2020–2021 pandemic period at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at RSUP Dr. Hasan Sadikin Bandung through the emergency department.The variables studied included age, gender, type of trauma, etiology, alcohol involvement, and management.The data are presented as frequency distribution and percentage in tabular and diagram. Results: During the 2018–2021 periods, there were 504 patients who experienced maxillofacial trauma before the COVID-19 pandemic, and this number has decreased to 216 patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of maxillofacial trauma experienced both before (n = 314; [62%]) and during (n = 166; [77%]) the COVID-19 pandemic was caused by motor vehicle accidents. Most of patients before the COVID-19 pandemic were aged 0–19 years (n = 230; [46%]), meanwhile, during the COVID-19 pandemic most patients were aged 20–39 years (n = 88; [41%]).Overall, there were no differences in sex characteristics, alcohol involvement, type of maxillofacial trauma, or treatment given before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The existence of interventions to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic by imposing Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) has resulted in modifications to community social activities that are centered in the home. This factor contributed to some differences in the characteristics of maxillofacial trauma patients at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department in Hasan Sadikin Hospital before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: Maxillofacial trauma, Characteristics, COVID-19