Study to Focus on Complications from Arthroscopy

The Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) is currently recruiting surgeons to participate in a study on the kinds of complications that can arise from arthroscopy.

The study is the first in 25 years on the subject, according to Julie A. Dodds, M.D., who chairs the AANA’s research committee. “What we want to do is build a prospective data base, identify risk factors, and inform surgeons of the results. The primary goals are patient safety and physician education,” she told AAOS Now, a monthly periodical published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

The six-month study will focus on complications associated with knee and shoulder surgeries, gathering data similar to those found in joint registries. Information most likely to be recorded include patient demographics, the type of surgery, and complications that occur within the first six weeks after the procedure. Dodds said the study also would look at infections, venous thromboembolic events, anesthesia and implant failures as well as complications associated with patient position during surgery.

AANA officials hope to capture data on at least 10 percent of the more than 1.5 million arthroscopic procedures performed annually in the United States.

Participation in the study is open to surgeons who are board certified in the United States and perform at least 10 knee and shoulder arthroscopic surgeries each month. Membership in the AANA is not required. Dodds estimates that as many as 35,000 orthopedic surgeons are eligible to participate in the study.

Data from the study will be collected by an independent research firm beginning in the third quarter. Eligible orthopedic surgeons interested in participating in the study can register at www.zoomerang.com or contact Dodds at [email protected].