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. 2023;11(12):738-751.
doi: 10.22038/ABJS.2023.71724.3348.

The Persistent Backlog of Knee and Shoulder Orthopedic Sport Surgery Case Volume Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

Uzoma Ahiarakwe, Amil R Agarwal, Yang Chi-Ya, Zachary C Pearson, Miriam Weisberg, Uma Srikumaran, Matthew J Best

The Persistent Backlog of Knee and Shoulder Orthopedic Sport Surgery Case Volume Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

Uzoma Ahiarakwe et al. Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2023.

Abstract

Objectives: As COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic, understanding our historical response allows us to predict and improve our current practices in preparation for the next pandemic. Following the removal of the elective surgery suspension at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unclear whether sports medicine surgery volume has returned to pre-pandemic levels as well as whether the backlog from the original suspension was addressed. The purpose of this study to observe the monthly changes in volume and backlog of knee and shoulder sports surgery one year since the original suspension.

Methods: National all-payer data was utilized to identify patients undergoing knee and shoulder sports procedures from January 2017 to April 2021. Descriptive analysis was utilized to report the monthly changes in surgeries. A linear forecast analysis using historical data was utilized to determine the expected volume. This was compared to the observed case volume. The difference in expected and observed volume was utilized to calculate the estimated change in backlog.

Results: From March to May 2020, there was a persistent decrease in the observed shoulder and knee sports volume when compared to the expected volume. By June 2020, all knee and shoulder sports volume reached the expected volume. By April 2021, the estimated backlog for shoulder and knee procedures had increased by 49.8% (26,412 total cases) and 19.0% (26,412 total cases), respectively, with respect to the original calculated backlog from March to May 2020.

Conclusion: Within four months, the sudden decrease in volume for knee and shoulder sports procedures had returned to pre-pandemic levels; however, the original backlog in cases has continually increased one year following the suspension. Additionally, the backlog is significantly higher for knee when compared to shoulder surgeries.

Keywords: COVID-19; Knee surgery; Shoulder surgery; Sports medicine; Surgical volume.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Total Sports Knee Surgery Volume from January 2018 to April 2021
Figure 2
Figure 2
Total Sports Shoulder Surgery Volume from January 2018 to April 2021
Figure 3
Figure 3
ACL Reconstruction Volume from January 2018 to April 2021
Figure 4
Figure 4
Knee Cartilage Surgery Volume from January 2018 to April 2021
Figure 5
Figure 5
Meniscus Surgery Volume from January 2018 to April 2021
Figure 6
Figure 6
Glenohumeral Instability Surgery Volume from January 2018 to April 2021
Figure 7
Figure 7
Rotator Cuff Surgery Volume from January 2018 to April 2021
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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