Orthopaedic surgery in a time of COVID-19: Using a low prevalence COVID-19 trauma surgery model to guide a safe return to elective surgery.
retrospective_cohort · Level III
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 33225294.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1302/2633-1462.16.BJO-2020-0045 and PMC identifier 7677729.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Elective surgery has been severely curtailed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is little evidence to guide surgeons in assessing what processes should be put in place to restart elective surgery safely in a time of endemic COVID-19 in the community. We used data from a stand-alone hospital admitting and operating on 91 trauma patients. All patients were screened on admission and 100% of patients have been followed-up after discharge to assess outcome. Overall, 87 (96%) patients remained symptom-free and recovered well following surgery. Four (4%) patients developed symptoms of COVID-19, with polymerase chain reaction ribonucleiuc acid (PCR-RNA) testing confirming infection. Based on our findings, we propose that if careful cohorting and screening is carried out in a stand-alone cold operating site, it is reasonable to resume elective operating, in a time of endemic but low community prevalence of SAR-Cov2.Cite this article: <i>Bone Joint Open</i> 2020;1-6:229-235.