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Aim: Volar locking plates designed for far distal radius fracture fixation can have a significant hardware removal rate and risk of tendon rupture. Plate design has a role in the rate of complications. This study assessed the hardware removal and tendon rupture rate of the Acu-Loc 2 volar distal radius (VDR) plate often used in the treatment of far distal radial fractures., Method: We searched our electronic healthcare records system for all patients who had undergone fixation with an Acu-Loc 2 VDR plate (Acumed, Hillsboro, OR, USA) at a tertiary center between January 2017 and December 2021. Patients were excluded if their follow-up time was less than one year or if they could not be contacted by telephone follow-up. Pre-operative radiographs were examined for fracture classification. Follow-up time was defined as the last contact in the clinic or by telephone., Results: A total of 92 patients underwent an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with an Acu-Loc 2 VDR plate. A total of 85 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study. Our cohort included 33 males (38.8%) and 52 females (61.2%). The mean age was 50 years. Twenty-seven fractures (31.0%) were extra-articular, and 60 fractures (69.0%) were intra-articular. The mean follow-up time for the patients was 593.3 days (range 369 to 1185 days). Four patients (4.7%) had their hardware removed. Three (3.5%) patients underwent removal due to tendon irritation and one patient (1.2%) due to a peri-prosthetic fracture around the plate. There were no tendon ruptures recorded., Conclusion: The Acu-Loc 2 VDR plate had a low medium-term hardware removal rate and no tendon ruptures. These rates are lower than would be expected when compared with other far distal plate designs., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Bharadwaj et al.)

Aims: Postoperative length of stay (LOS) and discharge dispositions following arthroplasty can be used as surrogate measurements for improvements in patients' pathways and costs. With the increasing use of robotic technology in arthroplasty, it is important to assess its impact on LOS. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with decreased LOS following robotic arm-assisted total hip arthroplasty (RO THA) compared with the conventional technique (CO THA)., Methods: This large-scale, single-institution study included 1,607 patients of any age who underwent 1,732 primary THAs for any indication between May 2019 and January 2023. The data which were collected included the demographics of the patients, LOS, type of anaesthetic, the need for treatment in a post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU), readmission within 30 days, and discharge disposition. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors and the characteristics of patients which were associated with delayed discharge., Results: The multivariate model identified that age, female sex, admission into a PACU, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade > II, and CO THA were associated with a significantly higher risk of a LOS of > two days. The median LOS was 54 hours (interquartile range (IQR) 34 to 78) in the RO THA group compared with 60 hours (IQR 51 to 100) in the CO THA group (p < 0.001). The discharge dispositions were comparable between the two groups. A higher proportion of patients undergoing CO THA required PACU admission postoperatively, although without reaching statistical significance (7.2% vs 5.2%, p = 0.238)., Conclusion: We found that among other baseline characteristics and comorbidities, RO THA was associated with a significantly shorter LOS, with no difference in discharge destination. With the increasing demand for THA, these findings suggest that robotic assistance in THA could reduce costs. However, randomized controlled trials are required to investigate the cost-effectiveness of this technology., Competing Interests: A. Fontalis reports receipt of the Freemasons' Royal Arch Fellowship with support from the Arthritis Research Trust and receipt of the Onassis Foundation Scholarship. F. S. Haddad reports multiple research grants from Stryker, Smith & Nephew, Corin, International Olympic Committee, and NIHR, royalties from Stryker, Smith & Nephew, Corin, and MatOrtho, consulting fees from Stryker, speaker payments from Stryker, Smith & Nephew, Zimmer, and AO Recon, and support for attending meetings from Stryker, Smith & Nephew, AO Recon, and The Bone & Joint Journal, all of which are unrelated to this article. F. S. Haddad is also Editor-in-Chief of The Bone & Joint Journal, a member of the BOSTAA executive committee, and a trustee of the British Orthopaedic Association., (© 2024 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.)

Aims: The primary aim of this study was to report the radiological outcomes of patients with a dorsally displaced distal radius fracture who were randomized to a moulded cast or surgical fixation with wires following manipulation and closed reduction of their fracture. The secondary aim was to correlate radiological outcomes with patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in the year following injury., Methods: Participants were recruited as part of DRAFFT2, a UK multicentre clinical trial. Participants were aged 16 years or over with a dorsally displaced distal radius fracture, and were eligible for the trial if they needed a manipulation of their fracture, as recommended by their treating surgeon. Participants were randomly allocated on a 1:1 ratio to moulded cast or Kirschner wires after manipulation of the fracture in the operating theatre. Standard posteroanterior and lateral radiographs were performed in the radiology department of participating centres at the time of the patient's initial assessment in the emergency department and six weeks postoperatively. Intraoperative fluoroscopic images taken at the time of fracture reduction were also assessed., Results: Patients treated with surgical fixation with wires had less dorsal angulation of the radius versus those treated in a moulded cast at six weeks after manipulation of the fracture; the mean difference of -4.13° was statistically significant (95% confidence interval 5.82 to -2.45). There was no evidence of a difference in radial shortening. However, there was no correlation between these radiological measurements and PROMs at any timepoint in the 12 months post-injury., Conclusion: For patients with a dorsally displaced distal radius fracture treated with a closed manipulation, surgical fixation with wires leads to less dorsal angulation on radiographs at six weeks compared with patients treated in a moulded plaster cast alone. However, the difference in dorsal angulation was small and did not correlate with patient-reported pain and function., Competing Interests: The authors disclose that the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) provided grant funding for the DRAFFT2 trial. The research was supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). In addition, M. L. Costa declares that the University of Oxford receives research grant funding from the NIHR and Wellcome for research into musculoskeletal trauma., (© 2024 Costa et al.)

Aims: Periprosthetic fractures (PPFs) around the knee are challenging injuries. This study aims to describe the characteristics of knee PPFs and the impact of patient demographics, fracture types, and management modalities on in-hospital mortality., Methods: Using a multicentre study design, independent of registry data, we included adult patients sustaining a PPF around a knee arthroplasty between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019. Univariate, then multivariable, logistic regression analyses were performed to study the impact of patient, fracture, and treatment on mortality., Results: Out of a total of 1,667 patients in the PPF study database, 420 patients were included. The in-hospital mortality rate was 6.4%. Multivariable analyses suggested that American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, history of peripheral vascular disease (PVD), history of rheumatic disease, fracture around a loose implant, and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) during hospital stay were each independently associated with mortality. Each point increase in ASA grade independently correlated with a four-fold greater mortality risk (odds ratio (OR) 4.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19 to 14.06); p = 0.026). Patients with PVD have a nine-fold increase in mortality risk (OR 9.1 (95% CI 1.25 to 66.47); p = 0.030) and patients with rheumatic disease have a 6.8-fold increase in mortality risk (OR 6.8 (95% CI 1.32 to 34.68); p = 0.022). Patients with a fracture around a loose implant (Unified Classification System (UCS) B2) have a 20-fold increase in mortality, compared to UCS A1 (OR 20.9 (95% CI 1.61 to 271.38); p = 0.020). Mode of management was not a significant predictor of mortality. Patients managed with revision arthroplasty had a significantly longer length of stay (median 16 days; p = 0.029) and higher rates of return to theatre, compared to patients treated nonoperatively or with fixation., Conclusion: The mortality rate in PPFs around the knee is similar to that for native distal femur and neck of femur fragility fractures. Patients with certain modifiable risk factors should be optimized. A national PPF database and standardized management guidelines are currently required to understand these complex injuries and to improve patient outcomes., Competing Interests: A. A. H. H. Nasser and A. Mahmood report funding from Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity Trauma Research and Education Fund, related to this study., (© 2024 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.)

Introduction: Robotic-arm assisted medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (RA-UKA) is associated with improved accuracy of implant positioning and excellent early functional outcomes. However, there is paucity of evidence regarding outcomes following RA-UKA for isolated lateral compartment osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to assess the short-term clinical and patient reported outcomes of lateral compartment UKA, utilising robotic-arm assistance., Methods: This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data of 21 consecutive patients who underwent lateral RA-UKA. The study included 9 (42.9%) males and 12 (57.1%) females with a mean age of 63.4 ± 9.2 years. The Oxford Knee Score (OKS) was measured pre-operatively and at 1-year post-operatively, while range of motion (ROM) and complications were also recorded., Results: There was significant improvement of OKS at 1 year's follow up compared with the baseline score (21.8 ± 5.6 vs. 45.2 ± 2.8 respectively; p  < 0.001). There was also an improvement in pre-operative ROM when compared to ROM at 1 year's follow up (123.5° ± 8° vs. 131.5° ± 6.3° respectively; p  < 0.001). None of the study patients underwent revision surgery within 1 year's follow-up., Conclusion: In our study, lateral RA-UKA resulted in significant improvements in clinical and patient reported outcomes with low complications rates. Further long-term comparative studies are needed to assess the utility of lateral RA-UKA vs. conventional UKA., Competing Interests: WW, JC, AF and RP did not receive any financial support and do not have any conflicts of interest. FH reports board membership of the Bone and Joint Journal and the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons; consultancy for Smith & Nephew, Corin, MatOrtho and Stryker; payment for lectures including service on speakers’ bureaus for Smith & Nephew and Stryker; royalties paid by Smith & Nephew, MatOrtho, Corin and Stryker, all outside the submitted work., (© 2023 Wignadasan, Chang, Fontalis, Plastow and Haddad.)

Day-case, or outpatient, arthroplasty is growing and has been adopted in healthcare systems because of its cost-effectiveness. A number of studies that reported on day-case total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty have shown that they can be performed successfully in a select group of patients. However, safety remains a concern, as a clear pathway, including discharge criteria, is not well described in the literature. This article outlines the stages of care involved in day-case hip and knee arthroplasty and gives insights from University College London Hospital's own evidence-based day-case arthroplasty pathway.

Introduction: Periprosthetic fractures (PPFs) around the hip joint are increasing in prevalence. In this collaborative study, we aimed to investigate the impact of patient demographics, fracture characteristics, and modes of management on in-hospital mortality of PPFs involving the hip., Methods: Using a multi-centre cohort study design, we retrospectively identified adults presenting with a PPF around the hip over a 10-year period. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to study the independent correlation between patient, fracture, and treatment factors on mortality., Results: A total of 1,109 patients were included. The in-hospital mortality rate was 5.3%. Multivariable analyses suggested that age, male sex, abbreviated mental test score (AMTS), pneumonia, renal failure, history of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and deep surgical site infection were each independently associated with mortality. Each yearly increase in age independently correlates with a 7% increase in mortality (OR 1.07, p=0.019). The odds of mortality was 2.99 times higher for patients diagnosed with pneumonia during their hospital stay [OR 2.99 (95% CI 1.07-8.37) p=0.037], and 7.25 times higher for patients that developed renal failure during their stay [OR 7.25 (95% CI 1.85-28.47) p=0.005]. Patients with history of PVD have a six-fold greater mortality risk (OR 6.06, p=0.003). Mode of treatment was not a significant predictor of mortality., Conclusion: The in-hospital mortality rate of PPFs around the hip exceeds 5%. The fracture subtype and mode of management are not independent predictors of mortality, while patient factors such as age, AMTS, history of PVD, pneumonia, and renal failure can independently predict mortality. Peri-operative optimisation of modifiable risk factors such as lung and kidney function in patients with PPFs around the hip during their hospital stay is of utmost importance., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest A.M is the president of the British Trauma Society. The author(s) received no financial or material support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is possibly the most significant potential complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and is associated with substantial morbidity and socioeconomic burden. It is a devastating complication for both the patient and the surgeon alike. A two-stage revision approach for infected TKA has been the standard for surgical management; however, there is growing interest in single-stage revision surgery due to fewer procedures, reduced inpatient hospital stay and reduced costs to healthcare systems. A one-stage exchange is indicated when there is no sign of systemic sepsis and in cases where a microorganism has been isolated. It involves removal of the old prosthesis, debridement of all infected tissue, a copious washout and re-draping, and finally, re-implantation of a new prosthesis. The two-stage approach involves the use of an antibiotic spacer before the second stage is carried out. The length of time between the stages is discussed. Patients with a PJI should be managed by a multidisciplinary team. We recommend these patients are managed in specialist arthroplasty centres by high volume revision arthroplasty specialists., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Concomitant acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) disruptions with coracoid base fractures are rare high energy injuries. The management of these injuries can be challenging. The aim of this study is to assess the functional and radiographic outcomes of a retrospective case series of patients presenting with concomitant ACJ and coracoid base injuries managed with a clavicle hook plate with subsequent hardware removal at a later stage., Methods: Six patients were identified for inclusion in the study. Radiographic and clinical data were available which allowed for collection of demographic information as well as classification of the fractures. Telephone consultation with patients allowed for collection of functional scores which included the Oxford shoulder score (OSS), QuickDASH (Q-DASH), Euroqol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) and the SF-12 score., Results: All patients were male with a mean age of 39.8 years and a median follow-up period of 34 months. All patients underwent a successful operative procedure with a median time to union of 3.75 months. Good functional outcomes were reported by all patients: mean OSS 45.0, mean Q-DASH 4.8, mean EQ-VAS 82.8 and encouraging SF-12 scores (mean PCS 56.0, mean MCS 56.4)., Conclusion: The use of a lateral clavicle hook plate can achieve good healing and functional outcomes when managing patients with acromioclavicular joint disruptions associated with a coracoid base fracture.

Background: Implant malalignment may be a risk factor for poor patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA)., Methods: Postoperative surveys were administered to assess PROMs regarding satisfaction, pain, and function in 262 patients who underwent surgery at 4 centers in the U.S. and U.K (average age, 67.2) at a mean 5.5 years after primary TKA. Postoperative distal femoral angle (DFA), proximal tibial angle (PTA), and posterior tibial slope angle (PSA) were radiographically measured, and outliers were recorded. PROMs were compared between patients with aligned versus malaligned knees using univariate analysis., Results: Patients with DFA, PTA, and PSA outliers were more likely to experience similar or decreased activity levels postoperatively than patients with no alignment outliers, as were patients with 1 or 2 outliers of any kind (P < .05). Patients with DFA, PTA, and PSA outliers were significantly more likely to be dissatisfied with their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), as were patients with 1 or 2 outliers of any kind (P < .05). Patients with DFA and PSA outliers were more likely to be dissatisfied with their degree of pain relief, as were patients with 2 outliers of any kind (P < .05). Finally, patients with DFA and PSA outliers, as well as those with 1 outlier of any kind, were more likely to be dissatisfied with their overall knee function (P < .05)., Conclusion: DFA, PTA, and PSA outliers represent a significant risk factor for decreased satisfaction with activities of daily living(ADLs), pain relief, and knee function, as well as decreased activity levels., Level of Evidence: Level III., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: As we now drive to reinitiate our full capacity elective services in an attempt to tackle an ever-growing demand for lower limb arthroplasty, this pandemic has presented rare opportunities to revise and re-engage elective arthroplasty pathways aimed at improving patient care and healthcare efficiency., Aims: We present the development of an evidence-based multidisciplinary perioperative care pathway for day-case total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in a United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) institution, in conjunction with a review of the literature upon which the protocol is founded., Methodology: We performed a review of the literature reporting complication or readmission rates at ≥30 day postoperative following day-case TKA. Electronic searches were performed using four databases from the date of inception to November 2020. Relevant studies were identified, data extracted, and qualitative synthesis performed., Results: 13 manuscripts with a total of 3370 day-case TKAs, defined as discharged on the same-calendar-day of surgery, were included in analysis. Mean 90-day complication rates (8.31% [range, 0-16.3%] vs 9.49% [range, 0-13.1%], respectively) and readmission rates (2.71% [range, 0-10.0%] vs 3.41% [range, 0-9.9%], respectively) were equivocal between day-case and inpatient TKA. The overall rate of successful same-calendar-day discharge was 95.8%. Our evaluation and critique of the evidence-based literature identifies day-case TKA to be safe, effective and economical, benefitting both patients and healthcare systems alike., Conclusion: We further validate the introduction of our institutional Elective Day Surgery Arthroplasty Pathway (EDSAP) based on the evidence presented. Careful patient selection paralleled with well-defined care pathways are essential for successful introduction of day-case TKA into the NHS., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest F. S. Haddad reports editorial board membership by The Bone & Joint Journal and the Annals of the Royal College Of Surgeons, consultancy and royalties from Smith & Nephew, Corin, MatOrtho, and Stryker, and payment for lectures (including service on speakers’ bureaus) from Smith & Nephew and Stryker, all of which are unrelated to this article. No other authors report any conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected elective orthopaedic services globally as routine orthopaedic activity was largely halted to combat this global threat. Our institution (University College London Hospital, UK) previously showed that during the first peak, a large proportion of patients were hesitant to be listed for their elective lower limb procedure. The aim of this study is to assess if there is a patient perception change towards having elective surgery now that we have passed the peak of the second wave of the pandemic., Methods: This is a prospective study of 100 patients who were on the waiting list of a single surgeon for an elective hip or knee procedure. Baseline characteristics including age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, COVID-19 risk, procedure type, and admission type were recorded. The primary outcome was patient consent to continue with their scheduled surgical procedure. Subgroup analysis was also conducted to define if any specific patient factors influenced decision to continue with surgery., Results: Overall, 88 patients (88%) were happy to continue with their scheduled procedure at the earliest opportunity. Patients with an ASA grade I were most likely to agree to surgery, followed by patients with ASA grades II, then those with grade III (93.3%, 88.7%, and 78.6% willingness, respectively). Patients waitlisted for an injection were least likely to consent to surgery, with just 73.7% agreeing. In all, there was a large increase in the proportion of patient willingness to continue with surgery compared to our initial study during the first wave of the pandemic., Conclusion: As COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are lifted after the second peak of the pandemic, we are seeing greater willingness to continue with scheduled orthopaedic surgery, reinforcing a change in patient perception towards having elective surgery. However, we must continue with strict COVID-19 precautions in order to minimize viral transmission as we increase our elective orthopaedic services going forward. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open  2021;2(10):865-870.

Aims: We present the development of a day-case total hip arthroplasty (THA) pathway in a UK National Health Service institution in conjunction with an extensive evidence-based summary of the interventions used to achieve successful day-case THA to which the protocol is founded upon., Methods: We performed a prospective audit of day-case THA in our institution as we reinitiate our full capacity elective services. In parallel, we performed a review of the literature reporting complication or readmission rates at ≥ 30-day postoperative following day-case THA. Electronic searches were performed using four databases from the date of inception to November 2020. Relevant studies were identified, data extracted, and qualitative synthesis performed., Results: Our evaluation and critique of the evidence-based literature identifies day-case THA to be safe, effective, and economical, benefiting both patients and healthcare systems alike. We further validate this with our institutional elective day surgery arthroplasty pathway (EDSAP) and report a small cohort of successful day-case THA cases as an example in the early stages of this practice in our unit., Conclusion: Careful patient selection and education, adequate perioperative considerations, including multimodal analgesia, surgical technique and blood loss management protocols and appropriate postoperative pathways comprising reliable discharge criteria are essential for successful day-case THA. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open  2021;2(2):93-102.

Background: Rotating hinge implants are commonly used in revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the setting of significant ligamentous instability or bone deficiency. These highly constrained implants have been associated with variable clinical outcomes and uncertain long-term survivorship. The aim of this study is to establish long-term functional outcomes, radiographic results, and survivorship after revision TKA with a rotating hinge implant., Method: This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected data of 41 consecutive patients undergoing revision TKA with rotating hinge components and minimum 10-years follow-up. The study included 22 females (53.7%) and 19 males (46.3%) with a mean age of 66.6 ± 8.5 years. Clinical outcomes recorded included the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) preoperatively and at latest follow-up. Range of motion, implant survivorship, and complications were also recorded. Predefined radiological outcomes were obtained using plain radiographs., Results: There was a significant improvement in OKS after revision TKA with a rotating hinge implant compared to preoperative scores (40.7 ± 4.2 vs. 21.4 ± 4.9 respectively, p < 0.001). At latest follow-up, mean range of motion was 111.5° ± 9.3° and mean overall limb alignment was 0.2° ± 2.0° varus. Implant survivorship at minimum 10-year follow-up was 90.2%. Radiographic lucent lines were observed in 14 patients (34.1%)., Conclusion: Revision TKA with a rotating hinge implant leads to satisfactory clinical outcomes and very good implant survivorship at long-term follow-up. Surgeons should have a low threshold to use these versatile implants in complex revision knee arthroplasty., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest W Wignadasan, JS Chang, B Kayani and C Kontoghiorghe did not receive any financial support and do not have any conflicts of interest. FS Haddad reports board membership of the Bone and Joint Journal and the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons; consultancy for Smith & Nephew, Corin, MatOrtho and Stryker; payment for lectures including service on speakers’ bureaus for Smith & Nephew and Stryker; royalties paid by Smith & Nephew, MatOrtho, Corin and Stryker, all outside the submitted work., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: As the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic passes, the challenge shifts to safe resumption of routine medical services, including elective orthopaedic surgery. Protocols including pre-operative self-isolation, COVID-19 testing, and surgery at a non-COVID-19 site have been developed to minimize risk of transmission. Despite this, it is likely that many patients will want to delay surgery for fear of contracting COVID-19. The aim of this study is to identify the number of patients who still want to proceed with planned elective orthopaedic surgery in this current environment., Methods: This is a prospective, single surgeon study of 102 patients who were on the waiting list for an elective hip or knee procedure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseline characteristics including age, ASA grade, COVID-19 risk, procedure type, surgical priority, and admission type were recorded. The primary outcome was patient consent to continue with planned surgical care after resumption of elective orthopaedic services. Subgroup analysis was also performed to determine if any specific patient factors influenced the decision to proceed with surgery., Results: Overall, 58 patients (56.8%) wanted to continue with planned surgical care at the earliest possibility. Patients classified as ASA I and ASA II were more likely to agree to surgery (60.5% and 60.0%, respectively) compared to ASA III and ASA IV patients (44.4% and 0.0%, respectively) (p = 0.01). In addition, patients undergoing soft tissue knee surgery were more likely to consent to surgery (90.0%) compared to patients undergoing primary hip arthroplasty (68.6%), primary knee arthroplasty (48.7%), revision hip or knee arthroplasty (0.0%), or hip and knee injections (43.8%) (p = 0.03)., Conclusion: Restarting elective orthopaedic services during the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant challenge. Given the uncertain environment, it is unsurprising that only 56% of patients were prepared to continue with their planned surgical care upon resumption of elective services.Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2020;1-6:267-271., Competing Interests: Competing Interest: J. S. Chang, W. Wignadasan, B. Kayani, C. Kontoghiorghe, R. Plastow, and A. Magan did not receive any financial support and do not have any conflicts of interest. F. S. Haddad reports board membership of the Bone and Joint Journal and the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons; consultancy for Smith & Nephew, Corin, MatOrtho and Stryker; payment for lectures including service on speakers’ bureaus for Smith & Nephew and Stryker; and royalties paid by Smith & Nephew, MatOrtho, Corin and Stryker, all of which are unrelated to this article., (© 2020 Author(s) et al.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on the provision of elective and trauma orthopaedic surgery worldwide with millions of operations cancelled. The risk of patients developing COVID-19 after undergoing ambulatory procedures in hospitals is unknown. This paper aims to investigate the risk of developing COVID-19 from day-case and overnight stay upper limb procedures during the peak of the pandemic in London, and to discuss the implications for the safe management of elective hand and upper limb patients in the coming months., Methods: 56 patients underwent emergency trauma upper limb procedures as a day case or with a single overnight stay from 1st March to May 31, 2020 at two central London hospitals that were also key players in the pan-London COVID response. Data was collected retrospectively from clinical and theatre records. Patients were contacted post-operatively and answered a structured questionnaire, including whether patients had experienced any of the symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 in the 14 days prior or 30 days following surgery., Results: Of 56 patients, one patient reported COVID-19 symptoms, which were minor and did not require hospitalisation. Five patients experienced minor post-operative complications such as stiffness and scar hypersensitivity; one patient had a superficial wound infection. The mean age was 46 years (20-90) with 68% patients ASA I, 25% ASA II and 4% ASA III. 9% had LA, 30% a regional block and 61% had a GA. The most common operation was a distal radius open reduction and internal fixation. The average time spent in hospital was 11 h (3-34 h) and 12 patients required an overnight stay. The median length of face-to-face follow up was 38.5 days., Conclusion: Our study suggests that, with appropriate precautions, elective upper limb ambulatory surgery can be safely restarted with a low risk of contracting COVID-19 or its complications., Competing Interests: None., (© 2020 Delhi Orthopedic Association. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The safe resumption of elective orthopaedic surgery following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant challenge. A number of institutions have developed a COVID-free pathway for elective surgery patients in order to minimize the risk of viral transmission. The aim of this study is to identify the perioperative viral transmission rate in elective orthopaedic patients following the restart of elective surgery., Methods: This is a prospective study of 121 patients who underwent elective orthopaedic procedures through a COVID-free pathway. All patients underwent a 14-day period of self-isolation, had a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of surgery, and underwent surgery at a COVID-free site. Baseline patient characteristics were recorded including age, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grade, body mass index (BMI), procedure, and admission type. Patients were contacted 14 days following discharge to determine if they had had a positive COVID-19 test (COVID-confirmed) or developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (COVID-19-presumed)., Results: The study included 74 females (61.2%) and 47 males (38.8%) with a mean age of 52.3 years ± 17.6 years (18 to 83 years). The ASA grade was grade I in 26 patients (21.5%), grade II in 70 patients (57.9%), grade III in 24 patients (19.8%), and grade IV in one patient (0.8%). A total of 18 patients (14.9%) had underlying cardiovascular disease, 17 (14.0%) had pulmonary disease, and eight (6.6%) had diabetes mellitus. No patients (0%) had a positive COVID-19 test in the postoperative period. One patient (0.8%) developed anosmia postoperatively without respiratory symptoms or a fever. The patient did not undergo a COVID-19 test and self-isolated for seven days. Her symptoms resolved within a few days., Conclusion: The development of a COVID-free pathway for elective orthopaedic patients results in very low viral transmission rates. While both surgeons and patients should remain vigilant, elective surgery can be safely restarted using dedicated pathways and procedures.Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2020;1-9:562-567., Competing Interests: ICMJE COI statement: J. S. Chang, W. Wignadasan, R. Pradhan, C. Kontoghiorghe, and B. Kayani did not receive any financial support and do not have any conflicts of interest. F. S. Haddad reports board membership of The Bone & Joint Journal and the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons; consultancy for Smith & Nephew, Corin, MatOrtho and Stryker; payment for lectures including service on speakers’ bureaus for Smith & Nephew and Stryker; royalties paid by Smith & Nephew, MatOrtho, Corin and Stryker, all of which are outside the submitted work., (© 2020 Author(s) et al.)