Recommendation to Optimize Safety of Elective Surgical Care While Limiting the Spread of COVID-19: Primum Non Nocere

Gilat, Ron; Haunschild, Eric D.; Tauro, Tracy; Cole, Brian J.

Abstract COVID-19 has drastically altered our lives in an unprecedented manner, shuttering industries, and leaving most of the country in isolation as we adapt to the evolving crisis. Orthopedic surgery has not been spared from these effects, with the postponement of elective procedures in an attempt to mitigate disease transmission and preserve hospital resources as the pandemic continues to expand. During these turbulent times, it is crucial to understand that while patient and care-providers safety is paramount, canceling or postponing essential surgical care is not without consequences, and may be irreversibly detrimental to a patient’s health and quality of life in some cases. The optimal solution of how to effectively balance the resumption of standard surgical care while doing everything possible to limit the spread of COVID-19 is undetermined, and could include strategies such as social distancing, screening forms and tests including temperature screening, segregation of inpatient and outpatient teams, proper use of protective gear, and the use of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) to provide elective, yet ultimately essential, surgical care while conserving resources and protecting the health of patients and health-care providers. Of importance, these recommendations do not and should not supersede evolving United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and relevant federal, state and local public health guidelines. Level of Evidence: Level V.