Hostname: page-component-6898cfcb55-kwdml Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-11T07:49:32.268Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The projected burden of complex surgical site infections following hip and knee arthroplasties in adults in the United States, 2020 through 2030

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2018

Hannah M. Wolford
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Kelly M. Hatfield
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Prabasaj Paul
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Sarah H. Yi
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Rachel B. Slayton
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

As the US population ages, the number of hip and knee arthroplasties is expected to increase. Because surgical site infections (SSIs) following these procedures contribute substantial morbidity, mortality, and costs, we projected SSIs expected to occur from 2020 through 2030.

Methods

We used a stochastic Poisson process to project the number of primary and revision arthroplasties and SSIs. Primary arthroplasty rates were calculated using annual estimates of hip and knee arthroplasty stratified by age and gender from the 2012–2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample and standardized by census population data. Revision rates, dependent on time from primary procedure, were obtained from published literature and were uniformly applied for all ages and genders. Stratified complex SSI rates for arthroplasties were obtained from 2012–2015 National Healthcare Safety Network data. To evaluate the possible impact of prevention measures, we recalculated the projections with an SSI rate reduced by 30%, the national target established by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Results

Without a reduction in SSI rates, we projected an increase in complex SSIs following hip and knee arthroplasty of 14% between 2020 and 2030. We projected a total burden of 77,653 SSIs; however, meeting the 30% rate reduction could prevent 23,297 of these SSIs.

Conclusions

Given current SSI rates, we project that complex SSI burden for primary and revision arthroplasty may increase due to an aging population. Reducing the SSI rate to the national HHS target could prevent 23,000 SSIs and reduce subsequent morbidity, mortality, and Medicare costs.

Information

Type
Original Article
Copyright
© 2018 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 
Figure 0

Fig. 1Flow chart depicting general model for obtaining annual arthroplasty and surgical site infection (SSI) counts. Arthroplasty rates were applied to the baseline population, and SSI rates are applied to this resulting population receiving arthroplasties. Mortality rates were not applied to individuals between arthroplasty and SSI branches (by definition 90 days or less). The cycle was repeated annually, with the baseline population as the population aged 1 year from the previous year without an arthroplasty or death. The model was run separately for primary and revision hip and knee arthroplasty (4 separate models).

Figure 1

Fig. 2Projected 2020 to 2030 complex surgical site infections (SSIs) following primary and revision hip and knee arthroplasties with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 2

Fig. 3Comparison of the percent of projected hip and knee arthroplasties and surgical site infections (SSIs) in each age cohort between 2020 and 2030.

Figure 3

Table 1Primary and Revision Model Inputs for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Figure 4

Table 2Comparison of Projected 2020 to 2030 Primary and Revision Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) With and Without an Infection Rate Reduction of 30%

Figure 5

Table 3Comparison of Projected 2020 to 2030 Primary and Revision Hip and Knee Arthroplasties and Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) With and Without an Increasing Rate of Obesity in the Baseline Population

Supplementary material: File

Wolford et al. supplementary material

Appendix

Download Wolford et al. supplementary material(File)
File 25.6 KB