Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39895572›Full record

ArticleANZ journal of surgery2025

Locked down: Orthopaedic surgery in a regional health service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thomas Page, Margaret Rogers, Kevin Eng, Kirsten Porter, Stephen D Gill, Richard S Page

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in ANZ journal of surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Thomas PageOrthopaedic Department of University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0009-0009-7949-2629
Margaret RogersSurgical & Critical Care Directorate, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-1233-6754
Kevin EngOrthopaedic Department of University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Kirsten PorterOrthopaedic Department of University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Stephen D GillOrthopaedic Department of University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-8722-0572
Richard S PageOrthopaedic Department of University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCOVID-19 affected access to healthcare. Victoria, Australia was heavily affected. Hospitals deferred non-urgent operations and preserved health resources to manage people with COVID-19. Elective orthopaedic surgery was directly impacted. This study investigated changes to orthopaedic procedures and the elective surgery waitlist during the COVID-19 at a large regional health service in Victoria.

methodsData were acquired from University Hospital Geelong, a publicly funded regional health service in Victoria, Australia. Orthopaedic surgeries and waitlist numbers were collated for financial years ending (FYE) 2020-2023. Procedures were displayed as total, planned and unplanned (i.e., trauma).

resultsFrom FYE 2020 to 2023 there was 8244 orthopaedic surgery cases with 8850 procedures. Planned joint replacements of knee, hip and shoulder decreased collectively by 19% in FYE 2022 and increased by 66% in FYE 2023. Waiting lists rose from 247 in FYE 2020 and peaked at 786 in FYE 2022, before falling to 390 in FYE 2023. The number of fractured neck of femur procedures were consistent each year (average 152/year), while ankle and wrist fractures declined by 55% and 43% during FYE 2022 and increased in FYE 2023 by 106% and 159% respectively.

conclusionChanges to planned orthopaedic procedures and waitlists in a regional centre were evident throughout the pandemic. These results can help to inform strategies to optimize the provision of orthopaedic surgery during future major disruptive events.

Indexed as

COVID-19Elective Surgical ProceduresHealth Services AccessibilityOrthopedic ProceduresWaiting ListsHumansPandemicsSARS-CoV-2VictoriaarthroplastyCOVID‐19orthopedic proceduresorthopedicsreplacementwaiting lists

Identifiers

PMID39895572
PMCPMC11937745

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.