Life on a limb

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Life on a limb reconstruction waiting list

  • IRAS ID

    347682

  • Contact name

    Piers Page

  • Contact email

    piers.page@wales.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    SBUHB R&D

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 3 months, 28 days

  • Research summary

    Limb reconstruction is the subspecialty of orthopaedic surgery dealing with complex injuries, those which have healed badly or become infected, or abnormalities of the limbs with which a patient has been born. It is one of the UK’s smaller subspecialties and resource has always been a challenge. Since the cessation of elective surgery during the Covid-19 pandemic, however, limb reconstruction has been to all intents and purposes on hold. Around ten times as many patients are being added to the waiting list as are undergoing surgery at the current pace, and hence there is little chance of any of these patients undergoing surgery in any reasonable timeframe. In a patient population in which the younger and socially disadvantaged predominate, a real sense of desperation is visible in our patients. This study sets out to explore and describe this in more detail.

  • REC name

    North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    24/NE/0217

  • Date of REC Opinion

    6 Jan 2025

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion