Can the American College of Surgeons Risk Calculator Predict 30-Day Complications After Knee and Hip Arthroplasty?

Accurate risk stratification of patients undergoing total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty is essential in the highly scrutinized world of pay-for-performance, value-driven healthcare. We assessed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) surgical risk calculator's ability to predict 30-day complications using 1066 publicly-reported Medicare patients undergoing primary THA or TKA. Risk estimates were significantly associated with complications in the categories of any complication (= .005), cardiac complication (< .001), pneumonia (< .001) and discharge to skilled nursing facility (< .001). However, predictability of complication occurrence was poor for all complications assessed. To facilitate the equitable provision and reimbursement of patient care, further research is needed to develop accurate risk stratification tools in TKA and THA surgery.