Orthopedic procedures performed at ASCs result in a relatively low percentage of patients seeking additional care within 24 hours after surgery, according to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Five details:
1. Researchers examined 4,650 sports medicine procedures performed during the first two years of operation at a university ASC.
2. Patient data collected included age, sex, CPT code, body mass index and medical history.
3. Patients seeking care in the emergency department, inpatient or outpatient setting within 24 hours after surgery were identified. Reasons for the encounters were categorized as either a medical complication, postoperative pain or other postoperative complication.
4. Thirty-five patients (0.75 percent) sought additional care within 24 hours after surgery. They tended to be older, had more comorbidities, and were more likely to have had upper extremity surgery.
5. Upper extremity procedures, particularly relating to the shoulder, may carry an increased risk of medical treatment within 24 hours of surgery, according to researchers.
Click here for more details on the study.