Maxillofacial surgical care transformation during COVID-19 and war in Ukraine: Hospital experience

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To assess the activity of the maxillofacial service during the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's military aggression in the context of the burden on the medical service and the transformation of the structure of disease entities and categories of surgical interventions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at a supracluster-level healthcare institution - the Communal Non-Commercial Enterprise "Kyiv Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1". An assessment of the staffing of the team (physicians and auxiliary personnel) was performed, and an evaluation of the maxillofacial surgery department activity was carried out based on qualitative and quantitative indicators for the reporting period during the COVID-19 pandemic and the beginning of the full-scale invasion. RESULTS: Results: Analysis of the dynamics of hospitalizations in the maxillofacial department in 2019-2024 showed that the average number of hospitalizations was 1,095 patients per year. The lowest rate was registered in 2022 (886 patients), while the highest was in 2024 (1 224 patients). The proportion of emergency admissions ranged from 23.5% to 57.1%. The highest level of emergency hospitalizations was noted in 2021 (57.1%), after which there was a gradual decrease in this indicator to 23.5% in 2024. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Reforming the maxillofacial service and the field of maxillofacial surgery in Ukraine is necessary to ensure high quality, accessibility, and effectiveness of medical care.