• M C Liebensteiner, I Khosravi, M T Hirschmann, P R Heuberer, Board of the AGA-Society of Arthroscopy and Joint-Surgery, and M Thaler.
• Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
• Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2020 Jun 1; 28 (6): 1705-1711.

PurposeDue to the lack of evidence, it was the aim of the study to investigate current possible cutbacks in orthopaedic healthcare due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19).MethodsAn online survey was performed of orthopaedic surgeons in the German-speaking Arthroscopy Society (Gesellschaft für Arthroskopie und Gelenkchirurgie, AGA). The survey consisted of 20 questions concerning four topics: four questions addressed the origin and surgical experience of the participant, 12 questions dealt with potential cutbacks in orthopaedic healthcare and 4 questions addressed the influence of the pandemic on the particular surgeon.ResultsOf 4234 contacted orthopaedic surgeons, 1399 responded. Regarding arthroscopic procedures between 10 and 30% of the participants stated that these were still being performed-with actual percentages depending on the specific joint and procedure. Only 6.2% of the participants stated that elective total joint arthroplasty was still being performed at their centre. In addition, physical rehabilitation and surgeons' postoperative follow-ups were severely affected.ConclusionOrthopaedic healthcare services in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland are suffering a drastic cutback due to COVID-19. A drastic reduction in arthroscopic procedures like rotator cuff repair and cruciate ligament reconstruction and an almost total shutdown of elective total joint arthroplasty were reported. Long-term consequences cannot be predicted yet. The described disruption in orthopaedic healthcare services has to be viewed as historic.Level Of EvidenceV.

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