Figure 7. Surgical complication and mortality rates for knee replacement surgery in medium-size hospitals (100-399 beds)

Hospitals performing 1-12 knee replacement surgeries annually had a surgical complication rate of 3.0 percent and a mortality rate of 0.8 percent; hospitals performing 13-24 knee replacement surgeries annually had a surgical complication rate of 2.8 percent and a mortality rate of 0.6 percent; hospitals performing 25-50 knee replacement surgeries annually had a surgical complication rate of 2.3 percent and a mortality rate of 0.5 percent; hospitals performing 51-75 knee replacement surgeries annually had a surgical complication rate of 2.3 percent and a mortality rate of 0.4 percent; hospitals performing 76-100 knee replacement surgeries annually had a surgical complication rate of 2.2 percent and a mortality rate of 0.4 percent; and hospitals performing 101 or more knee replacement surgeries annually had a surgical complication rate of 1.2 percent and a mortality rate of 0.3 percent.

Source: Gutierrez B, Culler SD, Freund DA. Does hospital procedure-specific volume affect treatment costs? A national study of knee replacement surgery. Health Serv Res 1998;33(3):489-511.

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