Abstract
PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the health care system around the entire globe. A consensus is needed about resuming total hip and knee procedures. The European Hip Society (EHS) and the European Knee Association (EKA) formed a panel of experts that have produced a consensus statement on how the safe re-introduction of elective hip and knee arthroplasty should be undertaken.MethodsA prospective online survey was done among members of EHS and EKA. The survey consisted of 27 questions. It includes basic information on demographics and details the participant’s agreement with each recommendation. The participant could choose among three options (agree, disagree, abstain). Recommendations focussed on pre-operative, peri-operative, and post-operative handling of patients and precautions.ResultsA total of 681 arthroplasty surgeons participated in the survey, with 479 fully completing the survey. The participants were from 44 countries and 6 continents. Apart from adhering to National and Local Guidelines, the recommendations concerned how to make elective arthroplasty safe for patients and staff.ConclusionThe survey has shown good-to-excellent agreement of the participants with regards to the statements made in the recommendations for the safe return to elective arthroplasty following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlights
Materials and methodIn recent months, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19) has evolved rapidly in Europe, disrupting the personal, social, economic and professional lives of health professionals on a large scale
The April 2020 SARS-CoV-2 survey completed by European Hip Society (EHS) and European Knee Association (EKA) members in Europe has confirmed the impact of SARS-CoV-2: this pandemic has resulted in a tremendous reduction in primary hip and knee arthroplasty procedures as shown in the survey
What is the role of outpatient hip and knee arthroplasty/enhanced recovery protocols in light of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?
Summary
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19) has evolved rapidly in Europe, disrupting the personal, social, economic and professional lives of health professionals on a large scale. Delaying hip and knee arthroplasty in patients with severe osteoarthritis (OA) may lead to increased opioid use It is associated with lower clinical results and increased readmission rates after the index procedure. The European Hip Society (EHS) and the European Knee Association (EKA) formed a panel of experts that have produced a consensus on how the safe re-introduction of elective arthroplasty should be undertaken. They have provided recommendations based on the available evidence [1]. The recommendations focus on three time periods; pre-operative, per-operative, and post-operative (Table 1) This survey did not require formal ethical approval with a practice dedicated to adult reconstruction
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