A decade of the Catalonian Arthroplasty Register (RACat): Variability, exhaustivity, and survival of prostheses between 2005 and 2014.

Background and Aim: The Catalonian Arthroplasty Register (RACat) is a public health-based population register used to analyse and evaluate hip and knee replacements in Catalonia. The aim of this study is to present the outcomes after 10 years in operation (January 2005-December 2014).
Methodology: Using the information from the RACat and the minimum basic data set at hospital discharge, an analysis was made of the quality and exhaustivity of the data, as well as a descriptive analysis of the patients, prostheses, and care process. Survival was also analysed by calculating the accumulated incidence of revisions (according to the cause of intervention in hip replacements and conservation or sacrifice of the posterior cruciate ligament in knee replacement). The relationship between revision risk and the fixation technique of the prosthesis is also analysed, using competitive risk models adjusted for gender, age, and comorbidities.
Results: The main reason for the primary hip and knee replacement surgery was arthrosis. The accumulated incidence of revisions at 10 years was 3.9% in hip replacements caused by arthrosis, and 2.3% in those caused by fracture. Conservation of the posterior cruciate ligament was achieved in 4.4% of knee replacements, with sacrifice in 5.1%.
Discussion: The RACat is consolidated as a tool for the evaluation of joint replacements, with great potential in the analysis of medium and long-term efficacy, the study of the variability in clinical practice, and post-marketing surveillance.
(Copyright © 2017 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)