Skip to main content

Study Quantifies COVID-19-Linked Deficit in Arthroplasties in the U.K.

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 15, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Aug. 15, 2024 -- The COVID-19-induced deficit in arthroplasty procedures is equivalent to 71.6 percent of a year of normal expected operating activity, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in The Bone & Joint Journal.

Jonathan M.R. French, B.M., B.Sc., from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, and colleagues analyzed the mandatory prospective national registry of all independent and publicly funded hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, and ankle replacements in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland between January 2019 and December 2022 inclusive, totaling 729,642 operations, to assess national trends and quantify the COVID-19-induced backlog.

The researchers found a deficit of 158,994 joint replacements between January 2020 and December 2022, which was equivalent to 71.6 percent of a year of normal expected operating activity. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, there were −47.1, −18.9, and −5.6 percent fewer replacements performed, respectively, than in 2019. An increase was seen in independent-sector procedures, making it the predominant arthroplasty provider (53 percent in 2022). National Health Service activity was 73.2 percent of 2019 levels, and independent activity increased to 126.8 percent. Deficits of more than one year's worth of procedures were seen in Wales and Northern Ireland (−136.3 and −121.3 percent, respectively), which was considerably more than in England (−66.7 percent). To eliminate this deficit would take until 2031, with an immediate expansion of capacity of 10 percent over 2019 levels.

"Returning to prepandemic provision is insufficient to address the deficit. Even with rapid expansion, our study suggests it will take many years, if not decades, to resolve the joint replacement crisis," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted August 2024

Further Support and Information on COVID-19

Read this next

Prevalence of Most Cancer Risk Factors Unchanged Before, After Pandemic

THURSDAY, April 24, 2025 -- Smoking rates continued to decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, but other major risk factors for cancer remained stable, according to a study...

Study IDs Predictors of Biomechanical Function in Patients With OA Undergoing Hip Replacement

WEDNESDAY, April 23, 2025 -- For patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA), osteoarthritis (OA) severity is the best predictor of preoperative biomechanical function, and...

Eviction Moratoria Reduced Child Maltreatment Rates During Pandemic

WEDNESDAY, April 16, 2025 -- Bans on evictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to reduce child maltreatment, according to a study published online April 8 in...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.