Relationship between surgical volume and early outcomes of total hip arthroplasty: do results continue to get better?

J Arthroplasty. 2004 Sep;19(6):694-9. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2004.02.040.

Abstract

This retrospective study explored the relationship between the volume of total hip arthroplasties (THA) and postoperative mortality and early complications from a single institution. One thousand hip arthroplasties in 932 patients were identified during a 1-year period, which included 786 primary and 214 revision hip arthroplasties. The postoperative 6-month combined medical and orthopedic complication rate for primary and revision THA was 7.9% and 16.5%, respectively. The 6-month mortality rate for the overall group was 0.5% (5 deaths), for the primary hips was 0.4% (3 deaths), and for the revision hip was 0.9% (2 deaths). The mortality and complication rates of many surgical procedures, including joint arthroplasties, are inversely related to hospital and surgical volume. The reduction in complication rate, however, approaches a plateau and does not improve regardless of an increase in the surgical and hospital volume.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / mortality*
  • Cause of Death
  • Clinical Competence*
  • Female
  • Hospital Mortality
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications / mortality*
  • Reoperation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome