TABLE III.

Acuity Classification of Orthopaedic Procedures^*

	Emergency (<24 Hr)	Urgent (24 Hr to <6 Wk)		Elective (6 to 8 Wk)
		Acute (24 to <48 Hr)	Subacute (48 Hr to <6 Wk)
Trauma	Open fractures Compartment syndrome Septic joints MSK infection with sepsis Dislocations Damage-control orthopaedics	Hip fractures Femoral fracture Tibial fracture	Fracture care: ankle, wrist, forearm, patella, etc. Quadriceps and patellar tendon tears	Nonunion Malunion Hardware removal
Adult Reconstruction	Hip and knee dislocations Joint infection with sepsis	Joint infection without sepsis	Failed total joint with impending fracture Manipulations Osteonecrosis with collapse	All primary joints without collapse
Spine	Cauda equina syndrome Epidural abscess Cord compression with paralysis	Cervical and thoracic myelopathy with progressive paralysis	Cervical and thoracic myelopathy without progressive paralysis	Scoliosis without neurological deficit Disc herniation Lumbar stenosis
Pediatrics	Supracondylar humeral fracture Unstable SCFE Septic joint Osteomyelitis with subperiosteal abscess	Displaced femoral fracture	Long bone fractures Displaced intra-articular fractures	Deformity correction
Shoulder and elbow	Dislocation	Shoulder or elbow fracture-dislocation	Biceps rupture Proximal humeral fracture Supracondylar humeral fracture	Rotator cuff tear Total shoulder arthroplasty
Sports	Knee dislocation	Fresh OC allograft	Locked knee Instability of multiple ligaments in the knee	ACL reconstruction Bankart repair
Foot and ankle	Open fractures Tongue-type calcaneal fractures Irreducible dislocations	Displaced talar neck fracture	Achilles tendon rupture Lisfranc injury	Arthrodesis Arthroplasty
Hand	Suppurative flexor tenosynovitis Traumatic amputation	Major motor nerve laceration	Digital nerve laceration with nerve or tendon injury	Carpal tunnel release Arthroplasty Arthrodesis
Oncology	Septic joint	Pathologic fracture	Malignant tumors Benign tumors threatening major vessels or nerves Impending fracture	Benign tumors Chronic osteomyelitis without sepsis

^*MSK = musculoskeletal, SCFE = slipped capital femoral epiphysis, OC = osteochondral, and ACL = anterior cruciate ligament.