Outcomes of Pediatric Supracondylar Fracture Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective This paper aims to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected critical time points in pediatric patient care of Supracondylar Humerus Fracture treatments within one level two pediatric trauma center. Methods Pediatric patients 16 years or younger who presented for supracondylar humerus fractures between 2016 and 2022 were included in this study, with March 11th, 2020, marking the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions included open reduction internal fixation, percutaneous pinning, and closed reduction. Primary outcome measures encompassed critical time points, including time from admission to discharge, time from admission to surgery start, time in surgery, and time from surgery end to discharge. Secondary outcome measures included complications, overall readmission, and reoperation rates of pediatric patients, which were observed to determine any impact of the pandemic on fracture treatment. Results Among the 168 patients included in this study, although median critical time points increased in length, there were no statistically significant differences in median critical time points between the pre-COVID and COVID-era groups. Furthermore, no significant differences in age or BMI were observed between the two groups. Intraoperative complication and readmission rates were universally minimal as well. Conclusion The reallocation of hospital resources and policy changes that occurred in response to the COVID pandemic did not negatively impact the treatment of pediatric patients for supracondylar humerus fractures at our institution. While this study demonstrates how one institution responded to the COVID pandemic, a more extensive multi-institutional approach is needed to understand COVID’s impact on supracondylar humerus fixation within the nation. Level of Evidence Level III - Retrospective Case-Control Study