ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic strained the United States healthcare system, and associated policies resulted in the postponement or cancellation of many elective surgeries. While most orthopaedic surgeons are aware of how the pandemic affected their patients' care, broader national trends in the operative treatment of orthopaedic knee pathology are poorly characterized. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify trends in orthopaedic knee procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The TriNetX database was queried for orthopaedic knee procedures performed from March 2018 to May 2021. Procedures were classified as arthroplasty (total knee arthroplasty (TKA), revision total knee arthroplasty) or non-arthroplasty (tendon or ligament repair, fracture fixation). Procedural volume per healthcare organization was determined over five seasons from March 2020 to May 2021 and compared to overlapping pre-pandemic periods from March 2018 to May 2019. Descriptive analysis was performed, and comparisons were made using a Student's T-test. RESULTS: Compared to the pre-pandemic period, there were significant decreases in primary TKA (p=0.016), femoral or entire tibial component revision TKA (p=0.005), and open treatment of femoral shaft fractures (p=0.007) in spring 2020. Procedural volume returned to baseline in summer 2020 through winter 2021. In spring 2021, primary TKA (p=0.017) and one component revision TKA (p=0.003) increased compared to the pre-pandemic period. CONCLUSION: The greatest decrease in knee procedures occurred early in the pandemic. Rates of these procedures have since rebounded, with some exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Hospitals are now better able to accommodate orthopaedic surgical volume while continuing to care for patients with COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: As the use of social media continues to rise, the presence of social media accounts among orthopaedic surgery residency programs can foster connections with other specialties, highlight departmental achievements, and be a resource for applicants to learn more about the program. This study evaluated the current utility and landscape of social media, with an emphasis on the use of Instagram, in orthopaedic surgery residency programs in the United States. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of orthopaedic surgery residency Instagram accounts was performed. The Instagram accounts were evaluated for the number of followers, number of accounts following, and number of posts. Instagram posts were further categorized into academic, departmental, education, and COVID-19-related content. In addition, a search was performed to identify the presence of Twitter and Facebook accounts among orthopaedic surgery residency programs. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the data in this study. RESULTS: Of the 192 orthopaedic surgery residency programs evaluated, 108 programs (56%) had an Instagram account, 65 programs (34%) had a Twitter account, and 58 programs (30%) had a Facebook account. Of the 108 programs with an Instagram account, 92 accounts (85%) were created in 2020. A higher Doximity ranking of a program was positively associated with the presence of an Instagram account (p < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between the number of posts and the Instagram engagement score (p = 0.018). The majority of Instagram posts contained departmental content (54%) followed by social (13%) and COVID-19-related (10%) content. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of orthopaedic surgery residency programs on social media has grown significantly in the year 2020. With the presence of more than 50% of residency programs on Instagram, this can be a useful resource for prospective applicants and other healthcare professionals to gain insight into the activities of orthopaedic surgery residency programs across the United States.