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- Title
Massive cutback in orthopaedic healthcare services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Authors
Liebensteiner, M. C.; Khosravi, I.; Hirschmann, M. T.; Heuberer, P. R.; The Board of the AGA-Society of Arthroscopy and Joint-Surgery; Heuberer, Philipp; Niemeyer, Philipp; Lill, Helmut; Lampert, Christoph; Dirisamer, Florian; Braun, Sepp; Buchhorn, Tomas; Attal, René el; Jung, Christian; Müller, Andreas Marc; Scheffler, Sven; Zellner, Johannes; Thaler, M.; Board of the AGA-Society of Arthroscopy and Joint-Surgery
- Abstract
<bold>Purpose: </bold>Due to the lack of evidence, it was the aim of the study to investigate current possible cutbacks in orthopaedic healthcare due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19).<bold>Methods: </bold>An online survey was performed of orthopaedic surgeons in the German-speaking Arthroscopy Society (Gesellschaft für Arthroskopie und Gelenkchirurgie, AGA). The survey consisted of 20 questions concerning four topics: four questions addressed the origin and surgical experience of the participant, 12 questions dealt with potential cutbacks in orthopaedic healthcare and 4 questions addressed the influence of the pandemic on the particular surgeon.<bold>Results: </bold>Of 4234 contacted orthopaedic surgeons, 1399 responded. Regarding arthroscopic procedures between 10 and 30% of the participants stated that these were still being performed-with actual percentages depending on the specific joint and procedure. Only 6.2% of the participants stated that elective total joint arthroplasty was still being performed at their centre. In addition, physical rehabilitation and surgeons' postoperative follow-ups were severely affected.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Orthopaedic healthcare services in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland are suffering a drastic cutback due to COVID-19. A drastic reduction in arthroscopic procedures like rotator cuff repair and cruciate ligament reconstruction and an almost total shutdown of elective total joint arthroplasty were reported. Long-term consequences cannot be predicted yet. The described disruption in orthopaedic healthcare services has to be viewed as historic.<bold>Level Of Evidence: </bold>V.
- Subjects
AUSTRIA; SWITZERLAND; GERMANY; COVID-19 pandemic; MEDICAL care; ORTHOPEDICS; ARTHROPLASTY; ROTATOR cuff; VIRAL pneumonia; ELECTIVE surgery; PATIENT aftercare; ORTHOPEDIC surgery; INTERNET; ARTHROSCOPY; COVID-19; SURVEYS; EPIDEMICS; REHABILITATION
- Publication
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 2020, Vol 28, Issue 6, p1705
- ISSN
0942-2056
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s00167-020-06032-2