In-hospital costs for total hip replacement performed using the supercapsular percutaneously-assisted total hip replacement surgical technique

Abstract

Purpose: The supercapsular percutaneously-assisted total hip (SuperPath) surgical technique for total hip replacement (THR) is a tissue-sparing approach that has been shown to improve key variables associated with the economic burden of THR (e.g., length of stay, readmissions). To date, no studies have examined the economic impact of using this technique in the United States. The objective of this study was to compare the in-hospital costs of this technique to all other THRs performed in a large hospital system in the United States. Methods: The costing database for a large hospital system was retrospectively searched for all in-hospital costs associated with primary THRs performed between January 2013 and September 2015. Data for all SuperPath THRs (group A) were compared to that of all other THRs performed at centres within the hospital system (group B). Results: Use of the SuperPath technique resulted in significant overall in-hospital cost reductions of 15.0 % (p < 0.000), including reductions in operating room costs of 17.3 % (p < 0.000), physical/occupational therapy costs of 26.8 % (p = 0.005), and pharmacy costs of 25.3 % (p < 0.000). Length of stay (1.2 vs. 2.6 days), transfusion rates (1.9 vs. 15.8 %), and 30-day readmission rates (0.4 vs. 2.9 %) were also lower in group A. Conclusions: The use of this tissue-sparing surgical technique resulted in reductions in in-hospital costs, length of stay, and readmissions when compared to all other THRs performed in a large hospital system in the United States.