Quality assurance in primary total hip arthroplasty.

Abstract Objective To compare two different methods of clinical outcomes documentation and investigate the potential impact of a quality assurance program. Methods Data on primary hip arthroplasties conducted between 2004 and 2014 were prospectively collected and analyzed. Results A total of 262/3395 patients suffered a postoperative complication. A reduction of complication rate was observed between 2010 and 2014. A significant difference between the two documentation methods was found in: “cardiovascular complications”, “hematoma and postoperative hemorrhage” and “reintervention”. Finally, the “normalized length of hospital stay” predicted the occurrence of complications. Conclusion Reduction of the incidence of complications through time may be attributed to accumulated surgical experience.