Major Metropolitan Area COVID-19 – Positive Patients Undergoing Emergency and Elective Orthopaedic Surgeries: A Case-matched Control Study

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affected surgical management in Orthopaedics. This study explores the effect of COVID-19–positive patients on time to surgery from admission, total time spent in preoperative preparation, costs of orthopaedic care, and inpatient days in COVID-19–positive patients. The authors’ case-matched study was based on the surgeon, procedure type, and patient demographics. The authors reviewed 58 cases, 23 males and 35 females. The results for the COVID-19–positive and – negative groups are time to admission (362.9; 388.4), time in preparation (127.8; 122.3), inpatient days to surgery (0.2; 0.2), and orthopaedic cost ($81,938; $86,352). With available numbers, no significant difference could be detected for inpatient days until surgery, any associated time to surgery, or orthopaedic costs for operating on COVID-19–positive patients during the pandemic. Perceived increased time and cost of care of COVID-19–positive patients were not proven in this study. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 33(1):014-016, 2024)

Key words: COVID-19, orthopaedics