Steps to Take If Your Orthopaedic Surgery Has Been Postponed

Understand the Circumstances

The COVID-19 pandemic has required the country to take protective measures in order to prevent the spread of the disease. Many hospitals have postponed elective surgeries to help ensure that their resources are available for severely ill patients who may need them.

Elective surgery is a procedure that is done for a medical condition that is not urgent or life-threatening. Many of the orthopaedic procedures that we provide fall under this category. While an orthopaedic condition may be painful or limit function, it is usually not life-threatening and surgery can be safely postponed.

Common Orthopaedic Conditions and Their Nonsurgical Treatments.

Listed below are several common orthopaedic problems, along with some frequently recommended nonsurgical treatments. If you are already doing some of these treatments, you can continue on with them until your rescheduled surgery. If not, be sure to check with your surgeon to ensure that they are appropriate for your specific situation.

Arthritis

• Avoid activites that cause painful symptoms.
• Apply either ice or heat to the affected joint.
• Use a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) to control pain and swelling.

Sports Injuries

• Avoid activities that involve pivoting, jumping or rapidly changing direction.
• Take anti-inflammatory medication.
• Use a knee support or knee brace

Spine Problems

• Avoid activities such as bending or lifting.
• Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or muscle relaxants.

Carpal Tunnel

• Wear a wrist splint at night.
• Take anti-inflammatory medication.
• Ask your doctor about a corticosteroid injection for pain relief.

Emergency Surgery

• Most hospitals will allow procedures that need to be done on an emergency or urgent basis to go forward.
• Emergency or urgent orthopaedic procedures may include:
• Disk herniations in spine that cause a loss of feeling or movement
• Fractures in which pieces of bone are out of place
• Tendon ruptures
• Open wounds
• Bone tumors
• Infections

Communication

If you have questions, it is important to maintain communication with your surgeon. Often, a simple telephone call may be enough to help you get by if you have a routine orthopaedic problem or until you can have your rescheduled surgery.

We are offering telemedicine services so that you can be treated by an orthopaedic provider without having to leave your home or health care facility.