Premium
Major elective joint replacement surgery: socioeconomic variations in surgical risk, postoperative morbidity and length of stay
Author(s) -
Hollowell Jennifer,
Grocott Mike P. W.,
Hardy Rebecca,
Haddad Fares S.,
Mythen Monty G.,
Raine Rosalind
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of evaluation in clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.737
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2753
pISSN - 1356-1294
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2753.2009.01154.x
Subject(s) - medicine , socioeconomic status , joint replacement , arthroplasty , surgery , knee replacement , elective surgery , population , environmental health
Background Patient deprivation is associated with greater need for total hip and knee replacement surgery (THR/TKR) and a higher prevalence of risk factors for surgical complications. Our aim was to examine associations between deprivation and aspects of the inpatient episode for patients undergoing these procedures. Methods We analysed socioeconomic variations in preoperative surgical risk, postoperative morbidity and length of stay for 655 patients undergoing elective THR/TKR at a large metropolitan hospital. Surgical risk was assessed using the orthopaedic version of the POSSUM scoring system, postoperative morbidity was assessed using the postoperative morbidity survey, and socioeconomic status was measured using the Index of Multiple Deprivation. We adjusted for age, sex, surgical site and primary vs. revision surgery. Results We found only a modest, clinically insignificant socioeconomic gradient in preoperative surgical risk and no socioeconomic gradient in postoperative morbidity. There was a strong socioeconomic gradient in length of stay, but only for patients undergoing TKR. This was due to deprived patients being more likely to remain in hospital without morbidity following TKR. Conclusions Our findings suggest differential selection of healthier patients for surgery. Hospitals serving deprived communities may have excess, unfunded costs because of the increased length of stay of socioeconomically disadvantaged patients.