The Epidemiology of Primary and Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty in Teaching and Nonteaching Hospitals in the United States

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the epidemiology of primary and revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) in teaching and nonteaching hospitals. Methods: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried from 2006 to 2010 to identify primary and revision THAs at teaching and nonteaching hospitals. Results: A total of 1,336,396 primary and 223,520 revision procedures were identified. Forty-six percent of all primary and 54% of all revision procedures were performed at teaching hospitals. Teaching hospitals performed 17% of their THAs as revisions; nonteaching hospitals performed 12% as revisions. For primary and revision THAs, teaching hospitals had fewer patients aged >65 years, fewer Medicare patients, similar gender rates, more nonwhite patients, and more patients in the highest income quartile compared with nonteaching hospitals. Costs, length of stay, and Charlson Comorbidity Index scores were similar; however, the mortality rate was lower at teaching hospitals. Conclusions: This study found small but significant differences in key epidemiologic and outcome variables in examining primary and revision THA at teaching and nonteaching hospitals.