The Impact of Resident Involvement on Patient Outcomes in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty

Objective  The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of resident involvement on acute complication rates in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods  Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database, 1,743 revision THAs were identified from 2008 to 2012; 949 of them involved a resident physician. Demographic information including gender and race, comorbidities including lung disease, heart disease and diabetes, operative time, length of stay, and acute postoperative complications within 30 days were analyzed. Results  Resident involvement was not associated with a significant increase in the risk of acute complications. Total operative time demonstrated a statistically significant association with the involvement of a resident (161.35 minutes with resident present, 135.07 minutes without resident; p  < 0.001). There was no evidence that resident involvement was associated with a longer hospital stay (5.61 days with resident present, 5.22 days without resident; p  = 0.46). Conclusion  Involvement of an orthopedic resident during revision THA does not appear to increase short-term postoperative complication rates, despite a significant increase in operative times.