Journal of Trauma & Treatment

Orthopedic Surgery: From "Freeze" to the "Defrost" Phase during COVID-19

Abstract

Sunil S. Nikose*, Devashree Nikose, Shashank Jain, Kiran Saoji, Aditya Kekatpure and Sandeep Shrivastava

The Corona virus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) crisis has rapidly spread worldwide after the emergence of the pandemic in Wuhan in December 2019 it has resulted in health, economic and other non-health impacts with the healthcare systems of developed and developing countries being overwhelmed throughout the globe. It has also impacted the surgical branches and orthopedic surgery worldwide, more so the elective orthopedic surgery causing much apprehension, emotional instability and continued disability in the geriatric population who are waiting for the surgery. While this is true, healthcare professionals from all branches especially the critical care, intensivists, and physicians in high dependency units have been overwhelmed and the resources depleting fast due to stretch by this pandemic. The elective surgeries bear the brunt of the pandemic, with emergency orthopedic surgery and trauma demonstrating an increase after the lockdown has been eased and traffic has resumed on the road. Most orthopedic associations across the globe were quick to issue safety guidelines for healthcare professionals and orthopedic surgeons, including the Indian Orthopedic Association (IOA), the British Orthopedic Association (BOA) and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery (AAOS). Teaching and research activities are also being hampered due to these unprecedented times. As we restart elective surgical procedures during and post-COVID-19, it is obligatory to apprehend what techniques and surgical etiquette need modification or enforced to reduce the risk of disease transmission throughout the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 pandemic. This review focuses on COVID-19 effect on orthopedic surgery before, during and after COVID-19.