Graduating orthopedic surgery residents' arthroscopy case volume has significantly increased over time, according to a new study in Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery.
Researchers assessed Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education surgical case logs from 2007 to 2013 for orthopedic surgery residency. They examined variability and case volume trends in shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle arthroscopy.
Here are four insights:
1. From 2007 to 2013, arthroscopy procedures performed per resident increased by the following percentages:
• Shoulder arthroscopy: 43.1 percent
• Elbow arthroscopy: 28 percent
• Wrist arthroscopy: 8.6 percent
• Hip arthroscopy (which were first reported in 2012): 588.9percent
• Knee arthroscopy: 8.5 percent
• Ankle arthroscopy: 27.6 percent
2. There was a 3.66-fold difference in knee arthroscopy volume between residents in the 10th and 90th percentile for arthroscopy case volume in 2007.
3. The knee arthroscopy volume difference between residents in the 10th and 90th percentile for arthroscopy case volume was 3.36-fold in 2013.
4. There was a 5.86-fold difference in shoulder arthroscopy case volume between residents in the 10th and 90th percentile for arthroscopy case volume in 2007, whereas the difference was 4.96-fold in 2013.