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Trends in knee arthroscopy utilization: a gap in knowledge translation

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the longitudinal trends in knee arthroscopy utilization in relation to published negative randomized controlled trials, focusing on annual rates, patient demographics and associated 30-day post-operative complications.

Methods

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried using Current Procedural Terminology billing codes to identify arthroscopy cases between 2006 and 2016. 30-day post-operative complications were identified, and potential risk factors analysed using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

68,346 patients underwent knee arthroscopy, of which 47,446 (69.5%) represented partial meniscectomies. The annual procedural rate, as a proportion of all reported cases, increased significantly from 2006 (0.3%) to 2016 (1.6%; p < 0.001), along with a significant increase in average patient age (44.3 ± 15.5 to 48.4 ± 14.5; p < 0.001). Specifically focusing on the meniscectomy cohort, average patient age significantly increased from 47.9 ± 15.1 to 50.7 ± 13.5 (p = 0.001). The overall incidence of complications was 2.0% (n = 1333), with major complications in 0.9% (n = 639) and minor complications in 1.0% (n = 701). Common complications included a return to the operating room (0.5%), deep vein thrombosis/thrombophlebitis (0.4%), and superficial infection (0.2%). Operating time > 90 min, diabetes, steroid use, ASA class 2+, and dialysis-dependency were the predictors of overall complication rates.

Conclusion

Despite the publication of negative trials and new clinical practice guidelines, knee arthroscopy utilization and average patient age continue to increase. Given the high utilization, even low adverse event rates equate to substantial numbers of patients with minor and major complications. The NSQIP data show a gap in knowledge translation to clinical practice and highlight the need for improved clinical guidelines.

Level of evidence

Cohort study; Level III.

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Funding

No sources of funding for this study. No authors report relevant financial disclosures.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, Western University, 3M Centre, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada

    Ryan M. Degen, Alan M. J. Getgood, J. Robert Giffin, Kevin Willits & Robert B. Litchfield

  2. Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada

    Yekaterina Lebedeva, Trevor B. Birmingham, Jacquelyn D. Marsh & Dianne Bryant

  3. Wolf Orthopedics Biomechanics Laboratory, Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, Western University, 3M Centre, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada

    Trevor B. Birmingham

Authors
  1. Ryan M. Degen
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  2. Yekaterina Lebedeva
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  3. Trevor B. Birmingham
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  4. Jacquelyn D. Marsh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryan M. Degen.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

This study utilized de-identified publicly available data and therefore formal consent is not required.

Disclosures

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and the hospitals participating in the ACS NSQIP are the source of the data used herein; they have not verified and are not responsible for the statistical validity of the data analysis or the conclusions derived by the authors.

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Degen, R.M., Lebedeva, Y., Birmingham, T.B. et al. Trends in knee arthroscopy utilization: a gap in knowledge translation. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 28, 439–447 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-019-05638-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-019-05638-5

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