Kepler Universitätsklinikum study examines COVID-19 impact on ACL surgery waiting times

A master's thesis study conducted at the Kepler Universitätsklinikum examines how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted waiting times for primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The research highlights how global healthcare disruptions led to the reduction and postponement of elective surgical procedures.

Using a retrospective, single-center cohort study design, researchers compared patients who underwent ACL reconstruction between January 2015 and July 2025, dividing them into pre-pandemic and post-pandemic groups. The study focused on the primary endpoint of waiting time between the surgical indication and the actual procedure, while also analyzing secondary factors such as age, gender, operation duration, and hospital stay.