Written by Laura Dyrda
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery recently published an article examining the incidence and in-hospital outcomes of elective major orthopedic surgery for patients older than 80.
The authors examined data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample on patients who underwent spinal fusion, total hip arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty from 2000 to 2009. All the patients were 80 years old or older.
Here are eight trends on major orthopedic surgery in the United States:
1. The number of patients undergoing spinal fusion, total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty increased from 2000 to 2009:
• Spinal fusion: 40 per 100,000 to 102 per 100,000 annually
• Total hip arthroplasty: 181 per 100,000 to 257 per 100,000 annually
• Total knee arthroplasty: 300 per 100,000 to 477 per 100,000 annually
