Dr. Richard Berger: Now is the time for elective surgery, 2nd COVID-19 surge expected in the fall

Orthopedic

Chicago-based Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush surgeon Richard Berger, MD, is anticipating a second wave of COVID-19 to strike in the fall and is encouraging patients to undergo surgery for orthopedic conditions now.

"Right now, having surgery is safer than shopping for groceries," Dr. Berger said in a news release.

The novel coronavirus is projected to delay, postpone or cancel almost 83.5 percent of orthopedic surgeries in the U.S., according to GlobalData, a data and analytics company.

There is also increased potential for opioid addiction for patients using narcotics to manage their pain while delaying treatment due to the pandemic, as outlined in a USA Today report.

Dr. Berger performs surgery at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and Rush Oak Brook (Ill.) Surgery Center and recently surpassed 11,000 joint replacement procedures.

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