Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32873541›Full record

ArticleCMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne2020

Clearing the surgical backlog caused by COVID-19 in Ontario: a time series modelling study.

Jonathan Wang, Saba Vahid, Maria Eberg, Shannon Milroy, John Milkovich, Frances C Wright, Amber Hunter, Ryan Kalladeen, Claudia Zanchetta, Harindra C Wijeysundera and 1 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05962970 (Continuous Adductor Canal Block in Fast Track Total Knee Arthroplasty), which is not on this map. Cited by 107 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
107citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05962970 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Continuous Adductor Canal Block in Fast Track Total Knee Arthroplasty

TypeinterventionalSponsorSamuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai HospitalRan2023 to 2025Enrolled60ConditionsTotal Knee ArthroplastyArmscontinuous adductor canal block (CACB) ropivacaine, sham continuous adductor canal block - ShACB NaCl
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

107 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Assessing the urologist workforce in British Columbia Wait times, workload, and burnout in 2022.Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada · 2026
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  4. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on kidney stone management in a single-payer system.Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada · 2025
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  17. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2023
    Article
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  19. Preventive care recommendations to promote health equity.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2023
    Article
  20. Article

47 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Jonathan WangOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Saba VahidOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Maria EbergOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Shannon MilroyOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
John MilkovichOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Frances C WrightOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Amber HunterOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Ryan KalladeenOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Claudia ZanchettaOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Harindra C WijeysunderaOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
Jonathan IrishOntario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) (Wang, Vahid, Eberg, Milroy, Milkovich, Wright, Hunter, Zanchetta, Irish); Division of General Surgery (Wright), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Trillium Gift of Life Network (Kalladeen); Schulich Heart Centre (Wijeysundera), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Division of Cardiology (Wijeysundera), Department of Medicine and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery/Surgical Oncology (Irish), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. jonathan.irish@uhn.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo mitigate the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), jurisdictions worldwide ramped down nonemergent surgeries, creating a global surgical backlog. We sought to estimate the size of the nonemergent surgical backlog during COVID-19 in Ontario, Canada, and the time and resources required to clear the backlog.

methodsWe used 6 Ontario or Canadian population administrative sources to obtain data covering part or all of the period between Jan. 1, 2017, and June 13, 2020, on historical volumes and operating room throughput distributions by surgery type and region, and lengths of stay in ward and intensive care unit (ICU) beds. We used time series forecasting, queuing models and probabilistic sensitivity analysis to estimate the size of the backlog and clearance time for a +10% (+1 day per week at 50% capacity) surge scenario.

resultsBetween Mar. 15 and June 13, 2020, the estimated backlog in Ontario was 148 364 surgeries (95% prediction interval 124 508-174 589), an average weekly increase of 11 413 surgeries. Estimated backlog clearance time is 84 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI] 46-145), with an estimated weekly throughput of 717 patients (95% CI 326-1367) requiring 719 operating room hours (95% CI 431-1038), 265 ward beds (95% CI 87-678) and 9 ICU beds (95% CI 4-20) per week.

interpretationThe magnitude of the surgical backlog from COVID-19 raises serious implications for the recovery phase in Ontario. Our framework for modelling surgical backlog recovery can be adapted to other jurisdictions, using local data to assist with planning.

Indexed as

Coronavirus InfectionsPandemicsPneumonia, ViralBetacoronavirusCardiac Surgical ProceduresCOVID-19Elective Surgical ProceduresForecastingHospital Bed CapacityHumansIntensive Care UnitsLength of StayModels, StatisticalNeoplasmsOntarioOperating Rooms

Identifiers

PMID32873541
PMCPMC7647484

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.