COMPARATIVE STUDY
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Epidemiology of upper extremity replantation surgery in the United States.

PURPOSE: Replantation remains an important technique in the management of hand trauma. Given the resources necessary for a successful replantation program, regionalization of replantation care may ultimately be required. The purposes of this study were to analyze the geographic distribution of upper extremity replant procedures, analyze factors of patients undergoing replantation, and characterize the facilities performing these procedures.

METHODS: We performed a cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project from 2001, 2004, and 2007. Patients with an upper extremity amputation were defined, and a subgroup of patients undergoing replantation was delineated. We analyzed patient demographics and injury characteristics and characteristics of treating facilities.

RESULTS: A total of 9,407 patients were treated for upper extremity amputation, 1,361 of whom underwent replantation. Mean age of patients undergoing replantation was 36 years (range, 0-86 y), compared with 44 years (range, 0-104 y) in patients not undergoing replantation. Hospital charges (P < .001) and length of stay (P < .001) were significantly higher for patients with replantations versus those without replantations. Patients treated at teaching facilities were more likely to undergo replantation than those at a non-teaching facility (19% replantation rate at teaching hospitals vs 7% at non-teaching). Large hospitals and urban hospitals were more likely to perform replantation. Self-pay, Medicare, and Medicaid patients all had lower replantation rates than patients with other payer status.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients who undergo replantation are younger, incur higher hospital charges, and have longer hospital stays compared with patients who do not undergo replantation. Treatment at large, urban, and teaching facilities is associated with higher replantation rates. Payer status appears to have some bearing on replantation rates. Further studies are needed to better elucidate the relationship between patient and injury characteristics, treatment location, and outcomes, to adequately distribute the finite resources for replantation.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic and Decision Analysis IV.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app