Clin Orthop Surg.  2023 Apr;15(2):327-337. 10.4055/cios22177.

Differences in Resumption of Orthopedic Surgery According to Characteristics of Surgery during COVID-19 Pandemic: National Registry Data

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea
  • 2Department of Orthopedic Surgery, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 3Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea

Abstract

Background
Healthcare services have been restricted after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. With the pandemic still ongoing, the patterns of orthopedic surgery might have changed. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the reduced volumes of orthopedic surgery were recovered over time. Among the trauma and elective surgery, which accounted for most orthopedic surgical procedures, we also sought to elucidate whether the changes in the volumes of orthopedic surgery differed according to the type of surgery.
Methods
The volumes of orthopedic surgery were analyzed using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service of Korea databases. The surgical procedure codes were categorized depending on the characteristics of the procedures. The actual volumes of surgery were compared with the expected volumes to elucidate the effect of COVID-19 on surgical volumes. The expected volumes of surgery were estimated using Poisson regression models.
Results
The reducing effect of COVID-19 on the volumes of orthopedic surgery weakened as COVID-19 continued. Although the total volumes of orthopedic surgery decreased by 8.5%–10.1% in the first wave, those recovered to a 2.2%–2.8% decrease from the expected volumes during the second and third waves. Among the trauma and elective surgery, open reduction and internal fixation and cruciate ligament reconstruction decreased as COVID-19 continued, while total knee arthroplasty recovered. However, the volumes of hemiarthroplasty of the hip did not decrease through the year.
Conclusions
The number of orthopedic surgeries, which had decreased due to COVID-19, tended to recover over time, although the pandemic was still ongoing. However, the degree of resumption differed according to the characteristics of surgery. The findings of our study will be helpful to estimate the burden of orthopedic surgery in the era of persistent COVID-19.

Keyword

Coronavirus; Orthopedic surgical volume; Surgical category; Degeneration related; Outside activity-related
Full Text Links
  • CIOS
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr