Time-sensitive ambulatory orthopaedic soft-tissue surgery paradigms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Timing of surgery for orthopaedic injuries continues to evolve, as an improved understanding of biology, healing, and technological advances continues to challenge historical norms. With the growing COVID-19 pandemic stretching limited healthcare resources, postponing surgery becomes an inevitable and unenviable task for most orthopaedic surgeons, and a shift in outpatient paradigms is required to mitigate poor outcomes in patients.

A scoping review of five databases on surgical timing and orthopaedic soft-tissue injuries was performed. All randomized controlled trials, longitudinal cohort studies, retrospective case series, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and expert opinions were included for review, with 65 studies meeting the inclusion criteria.

Better outcomes appear to be associated with early surgery for subluxations (< 1 week), recurrent dislocations (> 2 episodes), ligamentous and tendinous injuries (< 2 weeks), and bony avulsion injuries (< 3 weeks). Spinal conditions with neurological compromise should be operated on within 24 hours and spinal instability within 72 hours to reduce the risk of complications and poor outcomes.

Most soft-tissue orthopaedic injuries can be managed with outpatient ambulatory surgery in a semi-elective setting. As the paradigm for outpatient surgery shifts due to technological advances and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical for surgeons to time their surgery appropriately to maintain the high standards of orthopaedic practice.