ArticleWiener klinische Wochenschrift2026
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute and elective peripheral nerve surgery.
Article in Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesNerve injuries and regeneration after peripheral nerve surgery are time-sensitive, therefore longer waiting times and delayed treatment could impact patient management and functional results. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute and elective peripheral nerve surgery during the strict first lockdown measures. MATERIAL AND
methodsIn this retrospective study 352 patients who underwent peripheral nerve surgery in a university-based setting in an academic center during the COVID-19 lockdown (March 2020 to March 2021) were included. The pre-COVID-19 period of March 2018 to March 2019 served as a baseline for peripheral nerve procedures at the same department. Patient demographics, type of peripheral nerve lesion, affected peripheral nerves, operative treatment, postoperative complications and length of hospital stay were assessed. Acute indications and elective peripheral nerve surgery were assessed in 2 separate groups to evaluate influences of COVID-19 restrictions during the first lock-down period.
resultsA total of 198 patients underwent peripheral nerve surgery during the pre-COVID-19 period compared to 154 patients during the COVID-19 period. The most common forms of surgery were peripheral nerve decompression procedures, which were significantly reduced during the COVID-19 period. While an overall reduction of peripheral nerve procedures was found, the proportion of posttraumatic reconstruction and nerve tumor surgery increased during the COVID-19 period.
conclusionThe measures taken during the COVID-19 period altered the number of elective peripheral nerve surgeries. While the overall number of patients treated was reduced, urgent cases were prioritized.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42101629What OpenQuestion holds
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.