Covid 19 Impact on Arthoscopic & Orthopaedic surgeries Patients

The covid-19 pandemic came into the world without any warning and has changed the way of our living. Among all the transformations that the world has to go through, changes were seen in the process of performing arthroscopic surgeries. Safety became the paramount priority, and preventive measures were strict. Despite that, the impact of Covid-19 on arthroscopy patients is a matter of much concern. The covid-19 virus is easy to transmit through aerosolized droplets, and surgical rooms or operation theatres are likely to have the virus. Today, Arthroscopic surgeries are done with great precautions and comprehensive care to keep Covid-19 impact on arthroscopy patients at bay. Arthroscopic surgeries are nothing but orthopaedic surgeries in arthroscopy patients. You must be wondering, Can arthroscopic surgery help knee arthritis or if arthroscopic surgery is painful. Read this article to get all your answers and to know Covid-19 impact on arthroscopy patients.

 

Table Of Contents

 

Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye

 

1. What are Arthroscopic Surgeries?
2. Impact of Covid Pandemic on Arthroscopy Patients.
3. What are clinics doing to prevent the spread of Covid?

Take Away

1. What are Arthroscopy surgeries?

Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure in which doctors use an arthroscope to detect and treat problems inside the joints. Besides being a minor procedure, arthroscopic surgery is an outpatient procedure, and the patient gets discharged right after the surgery. Orthopaedic surgeon / doctors use this procedure when patients have any kind of inflammation or other related problems in their joints. In Arthroscopic surgeries, the surgeon makes a small incision in the joints of the patient and inserts a small pencil-like instrument. The arthroscope contains a lens to enlighten and magnify the inside structures of the joints. Through this, the surgeon can diagnose any issue inside the joints of an arthroscopy patient.

 

A surgeon does arthroscopy surgery of the knees to visualize the inner ligaments and cartilage under the kneecap. Thereafter, they diagnose any issue that is causing inflammation or pain in the knee joint. This process helps the doctors to manifest the problem and decide whether any orthopaedic surgery of the knee is required or not. The arthroscopic knee surgery is completed under the administration of local anaesthesia. In the procedure, the surgeon can even treat any minor issue inside your knee. The doctors seal up the cut using special tapes or stitches, after a successful knee arthroscopy surgery.

 

Arthroscopic surgeries can be done in any joint section. Other than the knee, arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder and the hip are prevalent. Post arthroscopic surgery, the patient is kept in observation for an hour or so. Some patients can also feel pain after the procedure. The doctor can prescribe oral medication to subside it. The patient may preclude certain activities from the patient’s daily routine, so that he can avoid arthritis after knee surgery. Though arthroscopic surgery is not a major surgery, it requires expertise.

2. Impact of Covid-19 on Arthroscopy patients

On the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the health departments got restructured to cater to Covid-19 treatment. When the first wave hit India, many surgical procedures got postponed for a later period. With the rapid increase in the number of Covid-19 patients, the arthroscopy patients got restricted from visiting. That resulted in the growing woes of cases. Joint pains can be unendurable for patients, sometimes requiring critical orthopaedic surgeries. But before resuming all the surgical procedures, it was essential to ensure complete precaution and comprehensive care. Orthopaedic surgeries, including arthroscopic surgeries, were a matter of risk to perform during the upsurge of Covid-19 cases.

 

Vital logistical and operational challenges came forth because of the rising number of Covid-patients. Owing to the pandemic, the number of arthroscopic surgeries declined. Most of the orthopaedic clinics were also closed to keep the patients and staff at safety. The lockdown period saw some days with even no arthroscopic surgeries. Several arthroscopic patients were asked not to visit the clinic unless the situation becomes decent. In certain clinics, the joint & bone specialist doctors were available, but the other staff and assistants refused to participate in arthroscopic surgeries, owing to rising risk. Surgeons, staff, and the healthcare department, all were at risk. In such a scenario, many surgeries got postponed to ensure safety. Besides their safety, clinics rejected arthroscopic appointments to ensure the safety of the patients. Most arthroscopy patients are middle-aged or old-aged people. To perform arthroscopic surgeries on them was in no way a safe option. Hence, in most parts of India, treatments were delayed and postponed.

 

The woes of arthroscopic patients subsided when symptomatic patients were allowed to undergo arthroscopy surgery. However, the clinics started following strict guidelines and preventive measures while performing arthroscopy surgeries.

 

3.What are clinics doing to prevent the spread of Covid?

Today a number of clinics are treating Covid-19 patients along with other patients like arthroscopy patients. The surgeries have resumed. However, clinics and hospitals are taking paramount preventive measures to dormant the spread of the Coronavirus. Following are some of the primary safety measures clinics are adopting-

 

• Each patient is screened with proper temperature check, enquired about any symptoms, contact with Covid patients or not. The hospital authority is keeping a detailed record of any travel history and other details of the patients.
• The staff asks the patient or their relative to do the paperwork online or by themselves without contacting the facilities.
• Separate sectors or wards are structured for Covid-19 patients, keeping them out of the reach of other patients in the hospital.
• The number of visitors is limited. Even the sick people, who are not critical, are encouraged to stay at home.
• The staff including the doctors treating Covid patients, are advised to wash their hands regularly, disinfect high-touch surfaces, wear face masks and shields. The doctors and nurses coming in direct contact with Covid patients should wear PPE kits.
• The clinic authorities are advised to make proper space for social distancing among the other patients and visitors coming to the clinic.
• Leave is granted to sick employees to recover and join again. It ensured that all the staff and team members got vaccinated.
• To continue online consultation, doctors were available via phone and websites. Several patients could virtually meet doctors and talk about their issues leveraging telecommunication facilities.

Takeaway

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, arthroscopy patients were affected to a great extent. During the lockdown phase, several surgeries got delayed, and partial treatment was advised. Although the Covid-19 impact on arthroscopy patients was censorious, the arthroscopic surgeries were postponed keeping in mind the safety of patients. However, in the trying times, J and B medical facilities treated arthroscopic patients with comprehensive care taking utmost precautions to minimize any chance of virus transmission. Their services are fully operational now with strict covid 19 transmission control protocols. They are highly specialized in treating joint pains and inflammation and are best for treating sports injuries, joint disorders, fracture management, and orthopaedic issues. J and B solutions are best known for conducting arthroscopy surgeries in all joint sections. To know more, call them now!