Risk Factors Associated with 90-day Readmissions Following Odontoid Fractures: A Nationwide Readmissions Database Study

Study Design. Nationwide Readmissions Database Study. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate readmission rates and factors related to readmission after surgical and nonsurgical management of odontoid fractures. Summary of Background Data. Management of odontoid fractures, which are the most common isolated spine fracture in the elderly, continues to be debated. The choice between surgical or nonsurgical treatment has been reported to impact mortality and might influence readmission rates. Hospital readmissions represent a large financial burden upon our healthcare system. Factors surrounding hospital readmissions would benefit from a better understanding of their associated causes to lower health care costs Methods. A retrospective study was performed using the 2016 Healthcare Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD). Demographic information and factors associated with readmission were collected. Readmission rates, complications, length of hospital stay were collected. Patients treated operatively, nonoperatively, and patients who were readmitted or not readmitted were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using open source software SciPy (Python v1.3.0) for all analyses. Results. We identified 2921 patients who presented with Type II dens fractures from January 1, 2016 to September 30, 2016, 555 of which underwent surgical intervention. The readmission rate in patients who underwent surgery was 16.4%...
Source: Spine - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH Source Type: research