The Lawrence D. Dorr Surgical Techniques & Technologies Award: "Running Two Rooms" Does Not Compromise Outcomes or Patient Safety in Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Scrutiny from the federal government and the media regarding the safety of 1 surgeon doing cases in 2 operating rooms (ORs) on the same day, prompted us to examine our own institutional data. Over the past 11 years, surgeons at our facility have operated consecutively in 1 OR on a given day or used 2 alternating ORs. This study compares these cases with a focus on revisions and complications in both groups.

METHODS: Six surgeons performed a total of 16,916 primary hip and knee arthroplasties from 2006-2016. 7002 cases (41%) were consecutive cases (CCs) and 9914 cases (59%) were overlapping cases (OCs). Intraoperative complications, component revisions, and postoperative complications within 90 days of surgery were compared between the CC and OC groups.

RESULTS: There was no difference in intraoperative complication rates between the two groups (CC 1.6% vs. OC 1.7%, relative risk 1.082, 95% confidence interval 0.852 to 1.375, P = .52). There was no difference in 90-day component revision rates among the CC and OC groups (0.66% vs. 0.85% respectively, relative risk = 1.290, 95% confidence interval 0.901 to 1.845, P = .19). There was also no difference in 90-day complication rates among the CC and OC groups (1.33% vs. 1.45% respectively, relative risk = 1.094, 95% confidence interval 0.844 to 1.417, P = .54).

CONCLUSION: This large study of a single institution with multiple surgeons over an 11-year period shows no compromise in patient safety or outcomes when comparing cases done in either consecutive or overlapping rooms.