Over 28 million Surgeries Canceled Around the World Because of COVID-19

As more states in the U.S. begin to allow elective surgery, a modeling study published in the British Journal of Surgery estimates that 28.4 million elective surgeries will be canceled or postponed this year because of COVID-19.

The model, which is based on information collected from 359 hospitals and 71 countries and then extended to cover 190 countries, estimates that each additional week of COVID-19-related “disruption” to hospital services results in 2.4 million cancellations.

Constructed by researchers at the University of Birmingham in Great Britain, the model projects that orthopedic procedures will top the list of the type of surgeries that will be canceled.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., individual states started to allow elective surgeries to be performed starting in late April. In many states, health officials have attached conditions to the permission to resume elective surgeries, such as having an ample supply of PPE on hand.

Yesterday Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York announced that elective surgeries could begin in 12 more counties, bringing the total to 47 of the state’s 62 counties.