Does surgeon volume affect the outcome of total knee arthroplasties in a developing country? - A retrospective cohort study

Introduction Recent studies have shown that in addition to patient factors, surgeon volume has influenced total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes greatly. With recent propositions of regionalization of arthroplasties to higher volume centers, the need for further evidence is warranted. Materials and methods Retrospective Cohort Study done at Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan from January 2007 to December 2015. High Volume (HV) group was set as at least 50 TKAs/year and Low Volume (LV) was set as at most 25 TKAs/year. A total of 615 patients undergoing a unilateral or bilateral TKA were included in our study. Results LV group was associated with a higher length of stay (LOS) as compared to HV group in patients undergoing a bilateral TKA after adjusted logistic regression [OR 2.395 (1.47,3.91)]. We found no association between surgeon volume and postoperative complications. Conclusion Patients getting a bilateral TKA by LV surgeons were twice more likely to have a longer LOS as compared to HV group. Further research is warranted comparing all aspects and possible confounders to different variables before a conclusion can be made.