COVID-19 Disruption Of Knee Arthroscopies

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Public health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Elective knee arthroscopy procedures were state-mandated cancelled during the COVID-19 lockdown.
• This study examines patient return rates for rescheduled knee arthroscopy after initial cancellation.
• The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique scenario for evaluating delayed surgical care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the proportion of patients who returned for previously scheduled knee arthroscopy after COVID-19 related cancellations.
• To analyze factors influencing patients' decisions to return for or forgo rescheduled knee arthroscopy.
• To assess the impact of delayed knee arthroscopy on patient outcomes and symptom resolution.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of patients with planned knee arthroscopies (excluding specific procedures) cancelled between March and June 2020.
• Evaluation of scheduling outcomes (returned vs. did not return) before March 2022.
• Comparison of patient demographics and surgical characteristics between groups using statistical tests.

Main Results:

• Out of 66 patients, 53 (80%) rescheduled their knee arthroscopy; 13 (20%) did not return.
• The average delay for rescheduled surgeries was 115 days.
• Primary reasons for not returning included symptom alleviation (62%), logistical barriers (15%), and loss to follow-up (23%).

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion (20%) of patients did not return for rescheduled knee arthroscopy, with symptom relief being a major factor.
• Despite the delay, 80% of patients eventually underwent knee arthroscopy, suggesting that for most, delayed surgery does not eliminate the need for the procedure.
• The findings indicate that forced delays in elective knee arthroscopy may serve as a temporary conservative management strategy for some, but not the majority.