Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33215099›Full record

ArticleBone & joint open2020

The rate of patient deferral and barriers to going forward with elective orthopaedic surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nicholas D Clement, Sam Oussedik, Kamran I Raza, Robyn F L Patton, Karen Smith, David J Deehan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Bone & joint open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Development and Service Evaluation of anMalaysian orthopaedic journal · 2022
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. A solid and strong beginning.Bone & joint open · 2020
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Nicholas D ClementDepartment of Orthopaedics, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, United Kingdom.
Sam OussedikDepartment of Orthopaedics, University College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Kamran I RazaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Robyn F L PattonMedical School; Biomedical Sciences, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Karen SmithDepartment of Orthopaedics, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, United Kingdom.
David J DeehanDepartment of Orthopaedics, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsThe primary aim was to assess the rate of patient deferral of elective orthopaedic surgery and whether this changed with time during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The secondary aim was to explore the reasons why patients wanted to defer surgery and what measures/circumstances would enable them to go forward with surgery.

methodsPatients were randomly selected from elective orthopaedic waiting lists at three centres in the UK in April, June, August, and September 2020 and were contacted by telephone. Patients were asked whether they wanted to proceed or defer surgery. Patients who wished to defer were asked seven questions relating to potential barriers to proceeding with surgery and were asked whether there were measures/circumstances that would allow them to go forward with surgery.

resultsThere was a significant decline in the rate of deferral for surgery from April (n = 38/50, 76%), June (n = 68/233, 29%), to August (n = 6/50, 12%) and September (n = 5/100, 5%) (p < 0.001). Patients wishing to defer were older (68 years (SD 10.1) vs 65 (SD 11.9)), more likely to be female (65% (44/68) vs 53% (88/165)) and waiting for a knee arthroplasty (65% (44/68) vs 41% (67/165); p < 0.001). By September 2020, all patients that deferred in June at one centre had proceeded or wanted to proceed with surgery due to a perceived lower risk of acquiring COVID-19 perioperatively (68%, n = 15) or because their symptoms had progressed (32%, n = 7). The most common reason (n = 14/17, 82%) for patients deferring surgery in September was the perceived risk of acquiring COVID-19 while as an inpatient. When asked what measures or circumstances would enable them to proceed with surgery, the most common (n = 7, 41%) response was reassurance of a COVID-19 free hospital.

conclusionThe rate of deferral fell to 5% by September, which was due to a lower perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 perioperatively or worsening of symptoms while waiting. The potential of a COVID-19-free hospital and communication of mortality risk may improve a patient's willingness to go forward with surgery.Cite this article:

Indexed as

COVID-19DeferralDelayElectivePandemic

Identifiers

PMID33215099
PMCPMC7659700

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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.