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Editorial
. 2020 Sep;30(5):492-499.
doi: 10.1177/1120700020941232. Epub 2020 Jul 7.

Resuming hip and knee arthroplasty after COVID-19: ethical implications for wellbeing, safety and the economy

Nanne P Kort  1 , Luigi Zagra  2 , Enrique Gomez Barrena  3 , Reha N Tandogan  4 , Martin Thaler  5 , James R Berstock  6 , Theofilos Karachalios  7
Affiliations
Editorial

Resuming hip and knee arthroplasty after COVID-19: ethical implications for wellbeing, safety and the economy

Nanne P Kort et al. Hip Int. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Reinstating elective hip and knee arthroplasty services presents significant challenges. We need to be honest about the scale of the obstacles ahead and realise that the health challenges and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are potentially devastating.We must also prepare to make difficult ethical decisions about restarting elective hip and knee arthroplasty. These decisions should be based on the existing evidence-base, reliable data, the recommendations of experts, and regional circumstances.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus disease 2019; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus 2; economic; ethical challenge; healthcare; orthopaedic; revision arthroplasty; severe acute respiratory syndrome; total hip arthroplasty; total knee arthroplasty.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Trends in COVID-19 cases versus economic impact on health care. (A) Earlier start to hip and knee replacement may endanger patients and staff (B) Restarting hip and knee replacement at the right moment is the challenge (C) Later start to hip and knee replacement may jeopardise health care institutions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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