What are the Risk Factors for Hardware Removal After Tibia or Fibula Fracture?

Indications for open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of tibia and/or fibula fractures vary; however, some patients require removal of hardware (ROH) due to various complications. Currently, data evaluating the epidemiology of and risk factors for ROH of the tibia/fibula are limited. We examined the associations between tibia/fibula fractures and (1) characteristics of fractures requiring ORIF, (2) indications for ROH, (3) demographic risk factors for ROH; (4) length of stay, and (5) total hospital charges. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify patients admitted for tibia/fibula ORIF and ROH between 1998 and 2010 in the United States. We used ICD-9 codes to identify fracture locations, comorbidities, and indications for ROH. We identified 1,610,149 ORIF patients, and 56,864 of these patients (3.5%) underwent ROH. Logistic regression analyses and independent sample t-tests were used to assess risk factors and differences. Among fractures requiring ORIF, the most common were for closed fractures of both tibia and fibula. The most common indications for ROH were infection and osteomyelitis. Risk factors for ROH included men and Deyo comorbidity scores of 1 and 2 or more. Age and race were not risk factors for ROH. The length of stay and total charges were significantly higher for ROH compared to those with ORIF only. Hardware removal is a serious complication following ORIF for fractures of the tibia/fibula. The results of the current study suggest that gender, presence of comorbidities, and payer status were all significant factors in predicting hardware removal for the tibia/fibula following ORIF.