Age Not Linked to Adverse Events After Meniscectomy

Recently published data demonstrated increased comorbidity burden and history of smoking rather than older age increased patients’ risk of adverse events after meniscectomy.

Researchers identified 17,774 patients within the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Programs database who underwent meniscectomy between 2005 and 2012. Patients’ mean age was 53 years.

Using univariate and multivariate analyses, analysts evaluated age of 65 years and older and medical comorbidities, including history of pulmonary or heart disease, as risk factors for any adverse events (AAEs), severe adverse events (SAEs) and readmission after meniscectomy that occurred within 30 days postoperatively. SAEs were defined as the occurrence of death, coma lasting longer than 24 hours, being on a ventilator for longer than 48 hours, unplanned intubation, stroke/cerebrovascular accident, thromboembolic event, cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, renal failure, wound-related infection, sepsis/septic shock, peripheral nerve damage or return to the operating room.

Of the 17,774 patients in the study, 3,420 were aged 65 or older. Two hundred and eight patients had AAEs, 203 had SAEs and 102 had to be readmitted. Through multivariate logistic regression analyses, the data found no significant differences between age groups with regard to the occurrence of AAEs, SAEs or readmissions.

Risk of AAEs, SAEs and readmission was found to be higher among patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists classification of 3 or higher. Additionally, those with diabetes had a greater chance of having AAEs or SAEs, and smokers had an increased chance of having to be readmitted. Pulmonary disease also increased the chance of having AAEs or SAEs, according to the study results.