Hip Arthroscopy Surgical Volume Trends and 30-Day Postoperative Complications

Abstract

Purpose: To determine hip arthroscopy surgical volume trends from 2006 to 2013 using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, the incidence of 30-day complications of hip arthroscopy, and patient and surgical risk factors for complications.

Methods: Patients who underwent hip arthroscopy from 2006 to 2013 were identified in the NSQIP database for the over 400 NSQIP participating hospitals from the United States using Current Procedural Terminology and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Trends in number of hip arthroscopy procedures per year were analyzed. Complications in the 30-day period after hip arthroscopy were identified. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for complications.

Results: We identified 1,338 patients who underwent hip arthroscopy, with a mean age of 39.5 ± 13.0 years. Female patients comprised 59.6%. Hip arthroscopy procedures became 25 times more common in 2013 than 2006 (P < .001). Major complications occurred in 8 patients (0.6%), and minor complications occurred in 11 patients (0.8%); overall complications occurred in 18 patients (1.3%) (1 patient had 2 complications). The most common complications were bleeding requiring a transfusion (5, 0.4%), return to the operating room (4, 0.3%), superficial infection not requiring return to the operating room (3, 0.2%), deep venous thrombosis (2, 0.1%), and death (2, 0.1%). Multivariate analysis showed that regional/monitored anesthesia care as opposed to general anesthesia (P = .005; odds ratio, 0.102) and a history of patient steroid use (P = .05; odds ratio, 8.346) were independent predictors of minor complications in the 30 days after hip arthroscopy.

Conclusions: Hip arthroscopy is an increasingly common procedure, with a 25-fold increase from 2006 to 2013. There is a low incidence of 30-day postoperative complications (1.3%), most commonly bleeding requiring a transfusion, return to the operating room, and superficial infection. Regional/monitored anesthesia care and steroid use were independent risk factors for minor complications.

Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.