Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 6, 2026
08:34
Optimizing Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: A Fully 3D CT O-Arm Navigated Workflow in MIS TLIF
Published on: October 17, 2025
853
Transparency to Reduce Surgical Implant Waste.
Kiel J Pfefferle1, Matthew F Dilisio1, Brianna Patti1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Summa Health System, Akron, OH, USA.
Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery
|July 29, 2015
Summary
Publishing surgeon-specific data on wasted orthopedic implants may reduce waste. This study found a trend toward fewer wasted implants after a non-blinded report was posted, though not statistically significant.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Healthcare Economics
- Surgical Outcomes
Background:
- Increasing healthcare costs necessitate cost-reduction strategies.
- Surgeons are increasingly responsible for managing healthcare expenses.
- Value-based healthcare models emphasize cost-efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a non-blinded wasted implant financial report on orthopedic implant waste.
- To assess surgeon-level performance in reducing implant waste.
- To identify potential cost-saving measures in orthopedic surgery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of financial data for 3,973 hip, knee, and shoulder arthroplasties.
- Implementation of a wasted implant financial report in the second year of a two-year study.
- Surgeon performance data was made visible to peers.
Main Results:
- Hip and knee arthroplasty waste events decreased from 1.50% to 1.11% after report implementation.
- Shoulder arthroplasty waste events occurred at twice the rate of hip and knee arthroplasty.
- The observed decrease in waste events was not statistically significant (p = 0.30).
Conclusions:
- Non-blinded reporting of wasted orthopedic surgical implants is associated with a reduction in waste.
- Further investigation is needed to achieve statistically significant reductions in implant waste.
- Surgeon accountability through peer-identified data may influence resource utilization.
