Search

Background: Total ankle replacement (TAR) has gained acceptance as an alternative to traditional ankle arthrodesis (AA)for end-stage ankle arthritis. Little is known about long-term trends in volume, utilization, and patient characteristics. Theobjective of this study was to use longitudinal data to examine temporal trends in TAR and AA.Methods: We identified all United States fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who underwent TAR and AA between1991 and 2010 (n = 5871 and 29 532, respectively). We examined changes in patient demographics and comorbidity,nationwide and hospital volume, per capita utilization, and length of stay (LOS).Results: Between 1991 and 2010, both TAR and AA patients had modest shifts in characteristics, with higher rates ofdiabetes and obesity. Overall, TAR Medicare volume increased by more than 1000% from 72 procedures in 1991 to 888in 2010, while per-capita standardized utilization increased 670.8% (P < .001). AA volume increased 35.8% from 1167procedures in 1991 to 1585 in 2010, while per-capita standardized utilization declined 15.6% (P < .001). The percentageof all US hospitals performing TAR increased nearly 4-fold from 3.1% in 1991 to 12.6% in 2010, while the proportionperforming AA remained relatively unchanged. LOS decreased dramatically from 8.7 days in 1991 to 2.3 days in 2010 inTAR and from 5.5 days to 3.2 days in AA (P < .001).Conclusion: Between 1991 and 2010, Medicare beneficiaries undergoing either TAR or AA became more medicallycomplex. Both volume and per-capita utilization of TAR increased dramatically but remained nearly constant for AA. Atthe same time, mean hospital volume for both procedures remained low. Further research should be directed towarddetermining design, surgeon, and hospital variables that relate to optimal outcomes following TAR, which has becomeincreasingly used for the treatment of ankle arthritis.Level of Evidence: Level III, comparative series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recently, the government has moved towards public reporting of 30-day readmission rates after elective primary total knee (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). We identified 11,814 and 8105 patients who underwent primary TKA and THA from the 2011 ACS NSQIP. Overall readmission rates within 30-days of surgery were 4.6% for TKA and 4.2% for THA. Complications associated with readmission were predominantly wound infections, sepsis, thromboembolic, cardiac, and respiratory related. In TKA, multivariate analysis identified age (P =0.002), male gender (P =0.03), cancer history (P =0.008), elevated BUN (P =0.002), a bleeding disorder (P <0.001) and high ASA class (P <0.001) as predictors of readmission. In THA, obesity (P =0.008), steroid use (P =0.037), a bleeding disorder (P =0.002), dependent functional status (P =0.022), and high ASA class (P <0.001) predicted readmission. Understanding characteristics associated with readmission will be essential for equitable patient risk stratification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Use of large databases for orthopedic research has become extremely popular in recent years. Each database varies in the methods used to capture data and the population it represents. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how these databases differed in reported demographics, comorbidities, and postoperative complications for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients.Methods: Primary THA patients were identified within National Surgical Quality Improvement Programs (NSQIP), Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), Medicare Standard Analytic Files (MED), and Humana administrative claims database (HAC). NSQIP definitions for comorbidities and complications were matched to corresponding International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision/Current Procedural Terminology codes to query the other databases. Demographics, comorbidities, and postoperative complications were compared.Results: The number of patients from each database was 22,644 in HAC, 371,715 in MED, 188,779 in NIS, and 27,818 in NSQIP. Age and gender distribution were clinically similar. Overall, there was variation in prevalence of comorbidities and rates of postoperative complications between databases. As an example, NSQIP had more than twice the obesity than NIS. HAC and MED had more than 2 times the diabetics than NSQIP. Rates of deep infection and stroke 30 days after THA had more than 2-fold difference between all databases.Conclusion: Among databases commonly used in orthopedic research, there is considerable variation in complication rates following THA depending upon the database used for analysis. It is important to consider these differences when critically evaluating database research. Additionally, with the advent of bundled payments, these differences must be considered in risk adjustment models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Excessive production of epidural fibrosis in the nerve root can be a pain source after laminectomy. Pharmacotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment option to attenuate epidural fibrosis by suppressing proliferation and activation of fibroblasts, inflammation, and angiogenesis, and inducing apoptosis. We reviewed and tabulated pharmaceuticals with their respective signaling axes implicated in reducing epidural fibrosis. Additionally, we summarized current literature for the feasibility of novel biologics and microRNA to lessen epidural fibrosis. Systematic Review. According to the PRISMA guidelines, we systematically reviewed the literature in October 2022. The exclusion criteria included duplicates, nonrelevant articles, and insufficient detail of drug mechanism. We obtained a total of 2,499 articles from PubMed and Embase databases. After screening the articles, 74 articles were finally selected for the systematic review and classified based on the functions of drugs and microRNAs which included inhibition of fibroblast proliferation and activation, pro-apoptosis, anti-inflammation, and antiangiogenesis. In addition, we summarized various pathways to prevent epidural fibrosis. This study allows a comprehensive review of pharmacotherapies to prevent epidural fibrosis during laminectomy. We expect that our review would enable researchers and clinicians to better understand the mechanism of anti-fibrosis drugs for the clinical application of epidural fibrosis therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Surgical correction for AIS has evolved from all hooks to hybrids or all screw constructs. Limited literature exists reporting outcomes using PHDS for posterior spinal fusion (PSF). This is the largest series in evaluating results of PHDS technique. Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive AIS patients undergoing PSF by a single surgeon between 2006 and 2015 was performed. All eligible patients met a minimum 2-year follow-up. Patient demographics and radiographical parameters (radiographic shoulder height (RSH), T1 tilt, clavicle angle) at baseline, 6-week and 2-year post-operation were recorded. The primary outcome was difference in RSH from baseline measurements evaluated using repeated measures one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction. Results: A total of 219 patients (mean age at surgery: 13.68 years; 82% female) were included. The mean follow-up was 41.2 months (range 24–108 months). The RSH was significantly improved from − 14.7 ± 10.38 mm to 8.0 ± 6.9 mm (P < 0.0001). Clavicle angle was improved from 2.13° to 1.31° (P < 0.0001). T1 tilt was improved from 5.6° to 2.2° (P < 0.0001). At last follow-up, 95.8% of patients were shoulder balanced. There was a significant improvement of Cobb angle with an average correction of the upper thoracic curve of 42% and main thoracic curve of 67%. Conclusion: The PHDS demonstrates the potential for additional shoulder balance improvement. Extension of fusion to structural proximal thoracic spine is the key to success for shoulder balance. It remains to be seen whether these improvements will translate into improved clinical outcomes in the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To our knowledge, no prior study has evaluated outcomes after elective lumbar spinal surgery in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients without acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This review investigated the impact of HIV-positive status (without AIDS) on outcomes after elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease (DDD). Methods Adult patients registered in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002–2011) undergoing elective lumbar fusion for DDD were extracted. Multivariable regression techniques were used to explore the association of HIV positivity with outcomes after lumbar fusion. Results This cohort included 612,000 hospitalizations (0.07% were HIV positive) of lumbar fusion for DDD. Compared with HIV-negative patients undergoing lumbar fusion, HIV-positive patients were younger (47 vs. 55 years), male (61% vs. 42%), largely insured by Medicare (30% vs. 5%), and had higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (23.7% vs. 14.6%) (all P < 0.001) but had lower rates of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes (all P < 0.001). Multivariable models demonstrated HIV positivity to be associated with higher odds for an adverse event (odds ratio [OR], 1.92; P < 0.001), in-hospital mortality (OR, 39.91; P < 0.001), wound complications (OR, 2.60; P = 0.004), respiratory (OR, 5.43; P < 0.001) and neurologic (OR, 1.96; P = 0.039) complications, and higher costs (7.1% higher; P = 0.011) compared with non-HIV patients. There were no differences in thromboembolic events, cardiac or gastrointestinal complications, discharge disposition, or length of stay. Conclusions Even in this selected cohort of well-controlled HIV patients, there were high complications, with concerning rates of death and respiratory complications. These data shed new light on elective spine surgery in HIV patients and may influence the treatment algorithm of surgeons who are familiar with older papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic pain is an issue that affects over 100 million Americans daily. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been found to be beneficial for patients with chronic pain by focusing provider efforts on teaching coping mechanisms for pain instead of eliminating the pain entirely. Current studies demonstrate that ACT significantly improves post-operative chronic pain scores and outcomes., Methods: The 200 patients chosen via random generator were collected and presented to (institution) orthopedic spine surgeons along with additional information such as the patients' history of present illness, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, PROMIS-CAT Pain Interference scores, and status of opiate usage. Surgeons were blinded to the PCS cutoff scores. The (institution) orthopedic spine surgeons then identified which patients they would indicate for ACT and their reasoning. Pre-determined PCS score cut-offs were separately used to determine if a patient was indicated for ACT., Results: The effectiveness of this screening tool was based on the frequency at which the surgeons and PCS scores were complimentary. A department epidemiologist assisted in the analysis of the data with the use of a ROC curve. ROC Curve demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.7784 with a Sensitivity of 0.68 and a Specificity of 0.79. The cut point according to Youden's index is 35. The data showed that the PCS is moderately accurate in its ability to distinguish coinciding patients that the [institution] orthopedic spine surgeons referred for ACT. The adjusted cut-point indicates that patients above a PCS of 35 would be referred to ACT by the orthopedic spine surgeons while those below a PCS score of 35 would not be referred., Conclusions: Using the PCS, a referral with the department pain psychologist would occur by [institution] orthopedic spinal surgeons for patients that are deemed at-risk with a score of at least 35. The goal following this study is to perform future investigations regarding PCS and ACT with patients regarding chronic opioid use and postoperative outcomes. Patients who would be referred for help with chronic pain would be compared to PCS-referred patients and non-referred patients. Pre-operative ACT would be compared to patient outcomes post-operatively. The future aim is to use the cut-offs established in this study for experimental design to evaluate if PCS-referred patients have better pain management post-operatively as compared to the control and previously referred patients., Level of Evidence: Level III diagnostic study., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors declare financial or professional relationships on ICMJE-NASSJ disclosure forms.

Introduction: The electronic health record (EHR) has become an integral part of modern medical practice. The balance of benefit versus burden of a required EHR remains inconclusive, with many studies identifying increasing physician burnout and less face-to-face patient contact because of increasing documentation demands. Few studies have investigated EHR burden in orthopaedic surgery practice. This study aimed to characterize and compare EHR usage patterns and time allocation within EHR between orthopaedic surgeons, other surgeons, and medicine physicians at an academic medical center., Methods: EHR usage was digitally tracked within a large academic medical center. EHR usage data were compiled for all physicians seeing outpatients from April 2018 to June 2019. The tracking metrics included time spent answering messages, typing notes, reviewing laboratories and imaging, reading notes, and placing orders. Physicians were subdivided between orthopaedic surgeons, other surgeons, and nonsurgeon/medical specialties. Statistical comparisons using a two-sample t-test were done between orthopaedic surgeon EHR usage patterns and other surgeons, in addition to orthopaedic surgeons versus nonsurgeons., Results: One thousand sixty physicians including 28 full-time orthopaedic surgeons, 134 other surgeons, and 898 nonsurgical medicine physicians met inclusion criteria. Orthopaedic surgeons saw on average 31 patients per office day compared with other surgeons at 18 patients per office day (P < 0.01) and nonsurgeons at 12 patients per office day (P < 0.01). Orthopaedic surgeons received more EHR messages while also being more efficient at answering EHR messages compared with other surgeons and nonsurgeons (P < 0.01). EHR tasks, including answering messages, placing orders, chart review, writing notes, and reviewing imaging, consumed 58% of an orthopaedic surgeon's scheduled office day with the largest contribution from required note writing., Discussion: In academic orthopaedic practice, EHR use has surpassed face-to-face patient time, consuming 58% of orthopaedic surgeons' clinical days. With the previously shown correlation between EHR burden and physician burnout, targeted interventions to increase efficiency and off-load EHR burden are necessary to sustain a successful orthopaedic practice., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Objective: Determine patient and injury characteristics predictive of vascular injury (VAI) in blunt cervical spine (BCS) trauma to identify high-risk patients and propose an alternative screening protocol., Methods: Patients presenting between 2014 and 2018 with BCS injury and cervical spine CT imaging were included. Demographics and injury characteristics of BCS injuries were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses to determine risk factors for VAI were performed. Once factors associated with greater odds of VAI were identified, this information was used to create an alternative protocol for indicating CTA in patients who sustained BCS injury., Results: A total of 475 patients were included. CTA of the neck was performed in 55.5% patients. In patients who received CTA, 18.2% had a contraindication to receiving anti-platelet therapy, and 25% were already receiving anti-coagulation therapy as an outpatient medication. VAI was found in 13.2% patients. In patients with VAI, 48.5% were already receiving anti-coagulation as outpatient medication. Acute kidney injury was found in 10.5% patients who had received CTA. Factors associated with greater odds of having VAI included transverse foramen involvement(p = 0.0001), subluxation/displacement/dislocation of fracture(p = 0.03), high energy mechanism(p = 0.02), SLIC score > 4(p = 0.04), and concomitant lumbar spine injury(p = 0.03). Using Modified Hawkeye Protocol, 40.2% of patients were indicated to receive a CTA, and 17 VAI were identified. Compared to Denver Criteria, CTAs were performed in 73 less patients(p = 0.04)., Conclusions: Updated protocols utilizing evidence-based clinical parameters to predict chance of VAI may avoid unnecessary advanced imaging and contrast load to patients in the setting of BCS trauma., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: To our knowledge, no prior study has evaluated outcomes after elective lumbar spinal surgery in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients without acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This review investigated the impact of HIV-positive status (without AIDS) on outcomes after elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease (DDD)., Methods: Adult patients registered in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002-2011) undergoing elective lumbar fusion for DDD were extracted. Multivariable regression techniques were used to explore the association of HIV positivity with outcomes after lumbar fusion., Results: This cohort included 612,000 hospitalizations (0.07% were HIV positive) of lumbar fusion for DDD. Compared with HIV-negative patients undergoing lumbar fusion, HIV-positive patients were younger (47 vs. 55 years), male (61% vs. 42%), largely insured by Medicare (30% vs. 5%), and had higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (23.7% vs. 14.6%) (all P < 0.001) but had lower rates of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes (all P < 0.001). Multivariable models demonstrated HIV positivity to be associated with higher odds for an adverse event (odds ratio [OR], 1.92; P < 0.001), in-hospital mortality (OR, 39.91; P < 0.001), wound complications (OR, 2.60; P = 0.004), respiratory (OR, 5.43; P < 0.001) and neurologic (OR, 1.96; P = 0.039) complications, and higher costs (7.1% higher; P = 0.011) compared with non-HIV patients. There were no differences in thromboembolic events, cardiac or gastrointestinal complications, discharge disposition, or length of stay., Conclusions: Even in this selected cohort of well-controlled HIV patients, there were high complications, with concerning rates of death and respiratory complications. These data shed new light on elective spine surgery in HIV patients and may influence the treatment algorithm of surgeons who are familiar with older papers., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purpose of this study is to answer the following questions: (1) What is the prevalence of opioid use prior to primary total hip arthroplasty (THA)? (2) What is the typical trend in opioid use following THA over the first post-operative year? (3) What are the risk factors for prolonged opioid use following primary THA?, Methods: Primary THA patients were identified in the Humana database from 2007 to 2015. Pre-operative and post-operative opioid use was measured by monthly prescription refill rates. Rates of opioid use were trended monthly for 1 year post-operatively and compared based on pre-operative opioid user (OU) status as well as other patient demographics and co-morbidities., Results: In total, 37,393 THA patients were analyzed and 14,309 patients (38.2%) were pre-operative opioid users (OUs). Pre-operative opioid use was the strongest predictor for prolonged opioid use following THA, with non-opioid users filling significantly less opioid prescriptions than OUs at every time point analyzed. Younger age, female sex, and all other diagnoses analyzed were found to significantly increase the rate of opioid refilling following THA throughout the entire post-operative year., Conclusion: Over one-third of THA patients use opioids within 3 months prior to THA and this percentage has increased 6% during the years included in this study. Pre-operative opioid use was most predictive of increased refills of opioids following THA. These data provide an important baseline for opioid use trends following THA that can be used for future comparison while identifying risk factors for prolonged use that will be helpful to prescribers as we all work to decrease opioid use, misuse, and abuse., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purpose of this study is to (1) identify the incidence of surgical delay in hip fractures, (2) evaluate the time point surgical delay puts patients at increased risk for complications, and (3) identify risk factors for surgical delay in the setting of surgical management of hip fractures., Methods: A multi-center database was queried for patients of 60 years of age or older undergoing surgical treatment of a hip fracture. Surgical delay was defined by days from admission until surgical intervention. Univariate analyses and multivariate analyses were performed on all groups., Results: A total of 4215 patients underwent surgery for their hip fracture. Of those experiencing surgical delay, 3304 (78%) patients experienced surgical delay of ≥1 day, 1314 (31%) had delay of ≥2 days, and 480 (11%) experienced delay of ≥3 days. There was a significant difference in complications if patients experienced surgical delay of ≥2 days (P ≤ .01). Multivariate analyses identified multiple risk factors for delay of ≥2 days including congestive heart failure (odds ratio 3.09, 95% confidence interval 2.04-4.66) and body mass index ≥40 (odds ratio 2.31, 95% confidence interval 1.31-4.08). Subgroup analysis identified that patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty were not at risk for complications with surgical delay of ≥2 days., Conclusion: Surgical delay of ≥2 days in the setting of hip fractures is common and confers an increased risk of complications in those undergoing non-total hip arthroplasty procedures. We recommend surgical intervention prior to 48 hours from hospital admission when possible. Healthcare systems can utilize our non-modifiable risk factors when performing quality assessment and cost accounting., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. Little is known about perioperative opioid use for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to identify rates of preoperative opioid use, evaluate postoperative trends and identify risk factors for prolonged use after TKA., Methods: Patients who underwent primary TKA from 2007-2014 were identified within the Humana database. Postoperative opioid use was measured by monthly prescription refill rates. A preoperative opioid user (OU) was defined by history of opioid prescription within 3 months prior to TKA and a non-opioid user (NOU) was defined by no history of prior opioid use. Rates of opioid use were trended monthly for one year postoperatively for all cohorts., Results: 73,959 TKA patients were analyzed and 23,532 patients (31.2%) were OU. OU increased from 30.1% in 2007 to 39.3% in 2014 (P < .001). Preoperative opioid use was the strongest predictor for prolonged opioid use following TKA, with OU filling significantly more opioid prescriptions than NOU at every time point analyzed. Younger age, female sex and other intrinsic factors were found to significantly increase the rate of opioid refilling following TKA throughout the postoperative year., Conclusion: Approximately one-third of TKA patients use opioids within 3 months prior to surgery and this percentage has increased over 9% during the years included in this study. Preoperative opioid use was most predictive of increased refills of opioids following TKA. However, other intrinsic patient characteristics were also predictive of prolonged opioid use., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: When new technologies are introduced, it is important to evaluate the rate of adoption and outcomes compared with preexisting technology. The purpose of this study was to determine the adoption rate of computer-assisted navigation in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), to determine if the short-term complication rate changed over time with navigation, and to compare short-term complication rates of navigated and traditional TKA., Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to identify 108,277 patients undergoing primary TKA between 2010 and 2014, of which 3573 cases (3.30%) were navigated. Rates of adoption of navigated TKA were determined. Differences in short-term complications by year were compared using propensity score matching., Results: Navigation utilization decreased from 4.96% in 2010 to 3.06% in 2014. Blood transfusion rates for the entire cohort decreased from 19% in 2011 to 6% in 2014, and was not decreased with navigation compared with traditional TKA in 2014 (P = .1309). Operative time was not increased by navigation, and average 94.2 minutes. There were no significant differences in all-cause complications, reoperation rate, unplanned readmission, or length of stay for any year., Conclusions: There was a 38.3% decrease in TKA navigation utilization from 2010-2014. Blood transfusion rates decreased 68% over the 5-year study, and were not decreased with navigation in 2014. Navigation was not found to increase operative time. There were no significant differences in short-term complications, readmission rate, or length of stay between navigated and traditional TKA., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Increased operative time has been associated with increased complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of operative time on short-term complications after TJA while also identifying patient and operative factors associated with prolonged operative times., Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried from 2011-2013 to identify all patients who underwent primary total hip or knee arthroplasty. Patients were stratified by operative time, and 30-day morbidity and mortality data compared using univariate and multivariable analyses., Results: We identified 99,444 patients who underwent primary TJA. The overall incidence of complications after TJA was 4.9%. Overall complications were increased in patients with operative times >120 minutes (5.9%) as compared to patients with operative times <60 minutes or 60-120 minutes (4.6% and 4.8%, respectively; P < .001). Wound complications, including surgical site infection, were also increased for procedures lasting >120 minutes. In a multivariable analysis, operative time exceeding 120 minutes remained an independent predictor of any complication and wound complication, with each 30-minute increase in operative time beyond 120 minutes further increasing risk. Patient age ≤65 years, male sex, black race, body mass index ≥30 kg/m 2 , and an American Society of Anesthesiologists classification of 3 or 4, predicted operative times >120 minutes., Conclusion: We found that operative time >120 minutes was associated with increased short-term morbidity and mortality after primary TJA. Younger age, male sex, black race, obesity, and increased comorbidity were risk factors for operative time exceeding 120 minutes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We conducted a study of elective hip arthroscopy patients to determine type and incidence of complications and rates of and risk factors for minor and major morbidity. Retrospectively searching the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we identified 1325 patients who underwent elective hip arthroscopy between 2006 and 2013. Univariate and subsequent multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for complications. Of the 1325 patients identified, 16 (1.21%) had at least 1 complication, and 6 (0.45%) had at least 1 major complication. The most common complication was bleeding resulting in transfusion (6 patients, 0.45%). Multivariate analysis found age over 65 years was an independent predictor of any complication (odds ratio [OR], 6.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-31.54) and minor morbidity (OR, 7.97; 95% CI, 1.21-52.72). Short-term morbidity after elective hip arthroscopy was low, and we conclude that hip arthroscopy should be considered a low-risk procedure. Surgeons who perform hip arthroscopy should be aware that age over 65 years is a risk factor for complications. These results may aid surgeons in counseling patients and may aid health systems in performing quality assessments., Competing Interests: Authors’ Disclosure Statement: The authors report no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence, causes, and risk factors for unplanned 30-day readmission after shoulder and knee arthroscopy., Methods: A multicenter, prospective clinic registry, the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, was queried for Current Procedural Terminology codes representing the most common shoulder and knee arthroscopic procedures. Unplanned readmissions within 30 days were evaluated dichotomously, and causes of readmission were identified. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify variables predictive of readmission., Results: In total, we identified 15,167 patients who underwent shoulder and knee arthroscopic procedures in 2012. Overall, 136 (0.90%) were readmitted within 30 days, and the rates were similar after shoulder (0.86%) and knee (0.92%) procedures. Readmissions were most common after arthroscopic debridement of the knee (1.56%) and lowest after rotator cuff and labral repairs (0.68%) and cruciate reconstructions (0.78%). The most common causes of readmission were surgical-site infections (37.1%), deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (17.1%), and postoperative pain (7.1%). Multivariate analysis identified age older than 80 years (odds ratio [OR], 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 to 8.1), chronic steroid use (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.5 to 7.2), and elevated American Society of Anesthesiologists class (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.4 to 12.0) as independent risk factors for readmission., Conclusions: The rate of unplanned readmissions within 30 days of shoulder and knee arthroscopic procedures is low, at 0.92%, with wound-related complications being the most common cause. In patients with advanced age, with chronic steroid use, and with chronic systemic disease, the risk of readmission may be higher. These findings may aid in the informed-consent process, patient optimization, and the quality-reporting risk-adjustment process., Level of Evidence: Level III, prognostic study., (Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)