Library
Lists
Topics
LibraryListsTopics
© 2026 Brad Roepke|About·Privacy·Terms·Disclaimer·Support
© 2026·About·Privacy·Terms·Disclaimer·Support
|

The Epidemiology of Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty in the United States.

·J Bone Joint Surg Am·2009·1,647 citations·Hip & Knee
DOI·PubMed
SummaryAbstract on PubMed →

This study analyzed 51,345 revision THA procedures from the HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample (October 2005 to December 2006). It was the first national analysis to characterize revision THA by specific mechanism of failure and procedure type, made possible by newly implemented ICD-9-CM codes. The central question: what is actually driving revision THA across the United States, in all hospital types?

Study Snapshot

Design
Retrospective database analysis
Setting: Approximately 1,045 hospitals in 38 US states
Funding: Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
Objective
Determine whether newly implemented ICD-9-CM codes could characterize revision THA mechanisms and procedure types nationally.
Outcome(s)
Frequency of revision THA causes and procedure types by ICD-9-CM code
Subjects
51,345 revision THA procedures, mean age 67.1 years
Inclusion
  • ICD-9-CM procedure codes 00.70-00.73, 80.05, or 81.53
  • Procedures October 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006
  • Included in HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample
Follow-up
Not applicable (cross-sectional administrative data)
Statistics
Weighted national estimatesDescriptive frequency analysisStratified subgroup analysis

Key Findings

  • Instability/dislocation was the #1 cause of revision THA nationally at 22.5%, ahead of mechanical loosening (19.7%) and infection (14.8%). It was also the leading indication specifically for acetabular revision (33.0%) and head/liner exchange (32.8%). This challenges the traditional teaching that loosening dominates — instability is now the primary driver, and it is potentially preventable with technique and implant selection.
  • Mechanical loosening drove the most complex cases: it was the top indication for all-component revision (22.8%) and femoral component revision (24.7%). Periprosthetic fracture was also a major driver of femoral revision specifically (18.7%), reinforcing why femoral component revision tends to be the most technically demanding subset.
  • All-component revision was the most common procedure performed at 41.1% of all cases, with femoral-only (13.2%), acetabular-only (12.7%), and head/liner exchange (12.6%) all occurring at much lower and nearly equal rates. There is a concern in the paper that head/liner exchanges may have been miscoded as all-component revisions, so the 41.1% figure may be an overestimate.
  • Infection drove 74.3% of all arthrotomy/prosthesis-removal cases and carried the highest resource burden of any revision type: average LOS 11.8 days and average charges $69,380. Compare this to isolated head/liner exchange, the least intensive procedure, at 5.0 days and $42,245. When you are staging a two-stage revision, expect roughly 2.4× the hospital stay and 1.6× the charges of a simple bearing exchange.
  • Medicare paid for 64.0% of all revision THA procedures, and 55.7% were performed in urban nonteaching community hospitals. Not academic centers. This matters for health policy: most of the national revision burden lands outside high-volume academic programs, where technique variation is greatest.
  • Geographic variation in charges was striking and independent of procedure mix: average charges in the West ($67,779) were 1.4× those in the Midwest ($47,504). This signals that cost drivers beyond case complexity. Regional pricing, implant contracts, care pathways. Are substantial.
Board PearlInstability/dislocation (22.5%) surpasses mechanical loosening (19.7%) as the #1 cause of revision THA nationally.

Clinical Relevance

When a patient asks why their THA might eventually need revision, the most honest answer based on national data is: instability first, loosening second, infection third. This paper inverted the prior assumption that aseptic loosening was the dominant failure mode.

When counseling patients preoperatively, particularly those at higher dislocation risk (prior hip surgery, neuromuscular disease, posterior approach), this data supports aggressive discussion of component positioning, approach selection, and head size — because instability is now the leading reason people go back to the OR.

When you see an infected THA requiring a two-stage revision, plan for nearly double the hospital resource consumption of any other revision type (LOS 11.8 days, charges $69,380). This is the basis for how hospitals budget and how payers authorize these admissions.

The paper also highlights that most revision THA happens in community hospitals, not academic centers. Familiarity with the ICD-9-CM revision codes and accurate operative documentation directly affects how institutional data is captured and how performance is publicly reported.

Related Articles

Reference

The Epidemiology of Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty in the United States.

Bozic, Berry, et al.·J Bone Joint Surg Am·2009·1,647 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

Radiological Assessment of Osteo-Arthrosis.|

Kellgren, Lawrence·Ann Rheum Dis·1957·12,248 citations·General
Landmark

Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Caplan·J Orthop Res·1991·6,470 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

Traumatic Arthritis of the Hip after Dislocation and Acetabular Fractures: Treatment by Mold Arthroplasty. an End-Result Study Using a New Method of Result Evaluation.

Harris·J Bone Joint Surg Am·1969·5,899 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

Bone: Formation by Autoinduction.

Urist·Science·1965·5,546 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

Treatment of Deep Cartilage Defects in the Knee with Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation.|

Brittberg, Peterson, et al.·N Engl J Med·1994·5,478 citations·Sports Medicine
Landmark

Interrater Reliability of a Modified Ashworth Scale of Muscle Spasticity

Bohannon·Phys Ther·1987·5,350 citations·General
Landmark

Osteoclast Differentiation Factor Is a Ligand for Osteoprotegerin/osteoclastogenesis-Inhibitory Factor and Is Identical to Trance/rankl.|

Yasuda, Suda, et al.·Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A·1998·4,239 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

Comparison of Upper Gastrointestinal Toxicity of Rofecoxib and Naproxen in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Vigor Study Group.|

Bombardier, VIGOR Study Group, et al.·N Engl J Med·2000·4,036 citations·General
Landmark

Magnetic Resonance Classification of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

Pfirrmann, Boos, et al.·Spine·2001·3,960 citations·Spine
Landmark

Novel Regulators of Bone Formation: Molecular Clones and Activities.

Wozney, Wang, et al.·Science·1988·3,906 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

The Diagnosis of Osteoporosis.

Kanis, Khaltaev, et al.·J Bone Miner Res·1994·3,840 citations·General
Landmark

"modes of Failure" of Cemented Stem-Type Femoral Components: a Radiographic Analysis of Loosening.

Gruen, Amstutz, et al.·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1979·3,647 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

Biomechanical Measures of Neuromuscular Control and Valgus Loading of the Knee Predict Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk in Female Athletes: a Prospective Study.

Hewett, Succop, et al.·Am J Sports Med·2005·3,495 citations·Sports Medicine
Landmark

Femoroacetabular Impingement: a Cause for Osteoarthritis of the Hip.

Ganz, Siebenrock, et al.·Clin Orthop Relat Res·2003·3,410 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

Prevention of Infection in the Treatment of One Thousand and Twenty-Five Open Fractures of Long Bones: Retrospective and Prospective Analyses.

Gustilo, Anderson·J Bone Joint Surg Am·1976·3,211 citations·Trauma
Landmark

The Variation in Isometric Tension with Sarcomere Length in Vertebrate Muscle Fibres.

Gordon, Julian, et al.·J Physiol·1966·3,135 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

Osteoarthritis: a Disease of the Joint as an Organ.|

Loeser, Goldring, et al.·Arthritis Rheum·2012·2,961 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

Radiological Demarcation of Cemented Sockets in Total Hip Replacement.

DeLee, Charnley·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1976·2,913 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

Ectopic Ossification Following Total Hip Replacement. Incidence and a Method of Classification.

Brooker, Riley, et al.·J Bone Joint Surg Am·1973·2,880 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

The Operation of the Century: Total Hip Replacement.

Learmonth, Rorabeck, et al.·Lancet·2007·2,788 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

Fatty Muscle Degeneration in Cuff Ruptures. Pre- and Postoperative Evaluation by CT Scan.

Goutallier, Voisin, et al.·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1994·2,669 citations·Shoulder & Elbow
Landmark

Osseointegrated Titanium Implants. Requirements for Ensuring a Long-Lasting, Direct Bone-To-Implant Anchorage in Man.

Albrektsson, Lindström, et al.·Acta Orthop Scand·1981·2,662 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

The Etiology of Chondromalacia Patellae.

Outerbridge·J Bone Joint Surg Br·1961·2,659 citations·Sports Medicine
Landmark

Fracture and Dislocation Classification Compendium-2018.

Meinberg, Kellam, et al.·J Orthop Trauma·2018·2,622 citations·Trauma
Landmark

The Three Column Spine and Its Significance in the Classification of Acute Thoracolumbar Spinal Injuries.

Denis·Spine·1983·2,566 citations·Spine
Landmark

Dislocations after Total Hip-Replacement Arthroplasties.

Lewinnek, Zimmerman, et al.·J Bone Joint Surg Am·1978·2,549 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

Patient Satisfaction after Total Knee Arthroplasty: Who Is Satisfied and Who Is Not?|

Bourne, Charron, et al.·Clin Orthop Relat Res·2010·2,475 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

Problems in the Management of Type III (severe) Open Fractures: a New Classification of Type III Open Fractures.

Gustilo, Williams, et al.·J Trauma·1984·2,361 citations·Trauma
Landmark

The Value of Postural Reduction in the Initial Management of Closed Injuries of the Spine with Paraplegia and Tetraplegia. I.

Frankel, Walsh, et al.·Paraplegia·1969·2,283 citations·Spine
Landmark

Vacuum-Assisted Closure: a New Method for Wound Control and Treatment: Animal Studies and Basic Foundation.

Morykwas, McGuirt, et al.·Ann Plast Surg·1997·2,218 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

A System for the Functional Evaluation of Reconstructive Procedures after Surgical Treatment of Tumors of the Musculoskeletal System.

Enneking, Pritchard, et al.·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1993·2,209 citations·Oncology
Landmark

A Controlled Trial of Arthroscopic Surgery for Osteoarthritis of the Knee|

Moseley, Wray, et al.·N Engl J Med·2002·2,154 citations·Hip & Knee
Landmark

The Stabilizing System of the Spine. Part I. Function, Dysfunction, Adaptation, and Enhancement.

Panjabi·J Spinal Disord·1992·2,145 citations·Spine
Landmark

The Outcome and Repair Integrity of Completely Arthroscopically Repaired Large and Massive Rotator Cuff Tears.

Galatz, Yamaguchi, et al.·J Bone Joint Surg Am·2004·2,135 citations·Shoulder & Elbow
Landmark

The Tension-Stress Effect on the Genesis and Growth of Tissues. Part I. the Influence of Stability of Fixation and Soft-Tissue Preservation.

Ilizarov·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1989·2,120 citations·Basic Science
Landmark

A System for the Surgical Staging of Musculoskeletal Sarcoma.

Enneking, Goodman, et al.·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1980·2,112 citations·Oncology
Landmark

A Comprehensive Classification of Thoracic and Lumbar Injuries|Citation only

Magerl·Eur Spine J·1994·2,067 citations·Spine
Landmark

Effect of the Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Sti571 in a Patient with a Metastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor|Citation only|

Joensuu·N Engl J Med·2001·2,056 citations·Oncology
Landmark

Zoledronic Acid and Clinical Fractures and Mortality after Hip Fracture.|

Lyles, HORIZON Recurrent Fracture Trial, et al.·N Engl J Med·2007·1,995 citations·Trauma
Landmark

Factors of Patellar Instability: an Anatomic Radiographic Study.

Dejour, Guier, et al.·Knee·1994·1,987 citations·Sports Medicine
Landmark

Displaced Proximal Humeral Fractures. I. Classification and Evaluation.

Neer·J Bone Joint Surg Am·1970·1,957 citations·Trauma
Landmark

Hip Morphology Influences the Pattern of Damage to the Acetabular Cartilage: Femoroacetabular Impingement as a Cause of Early Osteoarthritis of the Hip.|

Beck, Ganz, et al.·J Bone Joint Surg Br·2005·1,955 citations·Hip & Knee
Core

Porosity of 3D Biomaterial Scaffolds and Osteogenesis.

Karageorgiou, Kaplan·Biomaterials·2005·6,476 citations·Basic Science
Core

A Report: the Definition and Classification of Cerebral Palsy April 2006.

Rosenbaum, Jacobsson, et al.·Dev Med Child Neurol·2007·4,795 citations·Pediatrics
Core

Clinician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis.|

Cosman, National Osteoporosis Foundation, et al.·Osteoporos Int·2014·4,062 citations·General
Core

Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism|Citation only

Geerts·Chest·2008·3,825 citations·Hip & Knee
Core

The Development of Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society Classification Criteria for Axial Spondyloarthritis (part II): Validation and Final Selection|Citation only|

Rudwaleit·Ann Rheum Dis·2009·3,656 citations·Spine
Core

Radiation Exposure from CT Scans in Childhood and Subsequent Risk of Leukaemia and Brain Tumours: a Retrospective Cohort Study.|

Pearce, Berrington de González, et al.·Lancet·2012·3,643 citations·Pediatrics
Core

Epidemiology of Adult Fractures: a Review.

Court-Brown, Caesar·Injury·2006·3,607 citations·Trauma
Core

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection, 2017.|

Berríos-Torres, Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, et al.·JAMA Surg·2017·3,442 citations·General
Core

Osteoblastic Cells Regulate the Haematopoietic Stem Cell Niche.|

Calvi, Scadden, et al.·Nature·2003·3,391 citations·Basic Science
Core

A Joint Coordinate System for the Clinical Description of Three-Dimensional Motions: Application to the Knee.

Grood, Suntay·J Biomech Eng·1983·3,309 citations·Basic Science
Core

Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport-The 5th International Conference on Concussion in Sport Held in Berlin, October 2016.|

McCrory, Vos, et al.·Br J Sports Med·2017·3,303 citations·Sports Medicine
Core

Oarsi Guidelines for the Non-Surgical Management of Knee Osteoarthritis.|

McAlindon, Underwood, et al.·Osteoarthritis Cartilage·2014·3,129 citations·Hip & Knee
Core

Estimating the Prevalence of Limb Loss in the United States: 2005 to 2050.

Ziegler-Graham, Brookmeyer, et al.·Arch Phys Med Rehabil·2008·2,780 citations·General
Core

Metastasis to Bone: Causes, Consequences and Therapeutic Opportunities.

Mundy·Nat Rev Cancer·2002·2,765 citations·Oncology
Core

Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines in the Pathophysiology of Osteoarthritis.

Kapoor, Fahmi, et al.·Nat Rev Rheumatol·2011·2,711 citations·Basic Science
Core

The Basic Science of Articular Cartilage: Structure, Composition, and Function.|

Sophia Fox, Rodeo, et al.·Sports Health·2009·2,681 citations·Basic Science
Core

Osteoporosis: Now and the Future.|

Rachner, Hofbauer, et al.·Lancet·2011·2,604 citations·General
Core

Clinical Features of Metastatic Bone Disease and Risk of Skeletal Morbidity.

Coleman·Clin Cancer Res·2006·2,461 citations·Oncology
Core

Transfusion of Plasma, Platelets, and Red Blood Cells in a 1:1:1 vs. a 1:1:2 Ratio and Mortality in Patients with Severe Trauma: the Proppr Randomized Clinical Trial

Holcomb, PROPPR Study Group, et al.·JAMA·2015·2,453 citations·Trauma
Core

Direct Decompressive Surgical Resection in the Treatment of Spinal Cord Compression Caused by Metastatic Cancer: a Randomised Trial.

Patchell, Young, et al.·Lancet·2005·2,356 citations·Spine
Core

Fracture and Dislocation Classification Compendium - 2007: Orthopaedic Trauma Association Classification, Database and Outcomes Committee.

Marsh, Audigé, et al.·J Orthop Trauma·2007·2,343 citations·Trauma
Core

Peek Biomaterials in Trauma, Orthopedic, and Spinal Implants.|

Kurtz, Devine·Biomaterials·2007·2,304 citations·Basic Science
Core

Effect of Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation on Bone Density in Men and Women 65 Years of Age or Older|Citation only|

Dawson-Hughes·N Engl J Med·1997·2,295 citations·General
Core

The Long-Term Consequence of Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Meniscus Injuries: Osteoarthritis.|

Lohmander, Roos, et al.·Am J Sports Med·2007·2,251 citations·Sports Medicine
Core

Diagnosis and Management of Prosthetic Joint Infection: Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.|

Osmon, Infectious Diseases Society of America, et al.·Clin Infect Dis·2013·2,220 citations·Hip & Knee
Core

The Amazing Osteocyte.|

Bonewald·J Bone Miner Res·2011·2,169 citations·Basic Science
Core

Osteosarcoma Incidence and Survival Rates from 1973 to 2004: Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.|

Mirabello, Savage, et al.·Cancer·2009·2,165 citations·Oncology
Core

Projected Volume of Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty in the U.s., 2014 to 2030.

Sloan, Sheth, et al.·J Bone Joint Surg Am·2018·2,092 citations·Hip & Knee
Core

The 2018 Definition of Periprosthetic Hip and Knee Infection: an Evidence-Based and Validated Criteria.

Parvizi, Shohat, et al.·J Arthroplasty·2018·2,065 citations·Hip & Knee
Core

Bone Quality--The Material and Structural Basis of Bone Strength and Fragility.

Seeman, Delmas·N Engl J Med·2006·2,052 citations·Basic Science
Core

Prevalence of Muscular Dystrophies: a Systematic Literature Review.|

Theadom, Feigin, et al.·Neuroepidemiology·2014·2,050 citations·Pediatrics
Core

Mechanisms of Bone Metastasis.

Roodman·Discov Med·2004·2,028 citations·Oncology
Core

The Compressive Behavior of Bone as a Two-Phase Porous Structure.

Carter, Hayes·J Bone Joint Surg Am·1977·1,998 citations·Basic Science
Core

Metastatic Bone Disease: Clinical Features, Pathophysiology and Treatment Strategies.

Coleman·Cancer Treat Rev·2001·1,927 citations·Oncology
Emerging

Diagnosis and Treatment of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis|

Katz, Loeser, et al.·JAMA·2021·2,126 citations·Hip & Knee
Supplemental

Denosumab for Prevention of Fractures in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis.|

Cummings, FREEDOM Trial, et al.·N Engl J Med·2009·3,382 citations·General
Supplemental

Opgl Is a Key Regulator of Osteoclastogenesis, Lymphocyte Development and Lymph-Node Organogenesis.

Kong, Penninger, et al.·Nature·1999·3,356 citations·Basic Science
Supplemental

Osteoarthritis: New Insights. Part 1: the Disease and Its Risk Factors.

Felson, Fries, et al.·Ann Intern Med·2000·2,525 citations·Hip & Knee
Supplemental

Morbidity at Bone Graft Donor Sites.

Younger, Chapman·J Orthop Trauma·1989·2,008 citations·General
Supplemental

Articular Cartilage Repair: Basic Science and Clinical Progress. a Review of the Current Status and Prospects.

Hunziker·Osteoarthritis Cartilage·2002·1,954 citations·Basic Science
Reference

Induction of Pluripotent Stem Cells from Adult Human Fibroblasts by Defined Factors.

Takahashi, Yamanaka, et al.·Cell·2007·20,127 citations·Basic Science
Reference

Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures|Citation only

Beaton·Spine·2000·14,242 citations·General
Reference

Assessment of Coma and Impaired Consciousness. a Practical Scale.

Teasdale, Jennett·Lancet·1974·13,082 citations·Trauma
Reference

Development and Reliability of a System to Classify Gross Motor Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Palisano, Galuppi, et al.·Dev Med Child Neurol·1997·8,546 citations·Pediatrics
Reference

Validation Study of Womac: a Health Status Instrument for Measuring Clinically Important Patient Relevant Outcomes to Antirheumatic Drug Therapy in Patients with Osteoarthritis of the Hip or Knee.

Bellamy, Stitt, et al.·The Journal of rheumatology·1988·7,828 citations·Hip & Knee
Reference

Projections of Primary and Revision Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in the United States from 2005 to 2030.

Kurtz, Halpern, et al.·J Bone Joint Surg Am·2007·7,476 citations·Hip & Knee
Reference

The Oswestry Disability Index.

Fairbank, Pynsent·Spine·2000·5,651 citations·Spine
Reference

A Surgical Safety Checklist to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality in a Global Population.|

Haynes, Safe Surgery Saves Lives Study Group, et al.·N Engl J Med·2009·5,579 citations·General
Reference

A Clinical Method of Functional Assessment of the Shoulder.

Constant, Murley·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1987·5,271 citations·Shoulder & Elbow
Reference

Rating Systems in the Evaluation of Knee Ligament Injuries.

Tegner, Lysholm·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1985·4,572 citations·Sports Medicine
Reference

Sf-36 Health Survey Update|Citation only

Ware·Spine·2000·4,490 citations·General
Reference

Rationale of the Knee Society Clinical Rating System.

Insall, Scott, et al.·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1989·4,195 citations·Hip & Knee
Reference

Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (koos)--Development of a Self-Administered Outcome Measure.

Roos, Beynnon, et al.·J Orthop Sports Phys Ther·1998·3,837 citations·Sports Medicine
Reference

Evaluation of Knee Ligament Surgery Results with Special Emphasis on Use of a Scoring Scale.

Lysholm, Gillquist·Am J Sports Med·1982·2,762 citations·Sports Medicine
Reference

Development and Validation of the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form.

Irrgang, Shelborne, et al.·Am J Sports Med·2001·2,141 citations·Sports Medicine
Reference

Delirium in Older Persons.|Citation only|

Inouye·N Engl J Med·2006·2,082 citations·General
Reference

Calcium Phosphate Ceramics as Hard Tissue Prosthetics.

Jarcho·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1981·2,003 citations·Basic Science
Reference

The Knee Society Total Knee Arthroplasty Roentgenographic Evaluation and Scoring System.

Ewald·Clin Orthop Relat Res·1989·1,948 citations·Hip & Knee
|

The Epidemiology of Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty in the United States.

·J Bone Joint Surg Am·2009·1,647 citations·Hip & Knee
DOI·PubMed
SummaryAbstract on PubMed →

This study analyzed 51,345 revision THA procedures from the HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample (October 2005 to December 2006). It was the first national analysis to characterize revision THA by specific mechanism of failure and procedure type, made possible by newly implemented ICD-9-CM codes. The central question: what is actually driving revision THA across the United States, in all hospital types?

Study Snapshot

Design
Retrospective database analysis
Setting: Approximately 1,045 hospitals in 38 US states
Funding: Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
Objective
Determine whether newly implemented ICD-9-CM codes could characterize revision THA mechanisms and procedure types nationally.
Outcome(s)
Frequency of revision THA causes and procedure types by ICD-9-CM code
Subjects
51,345 revision THA procedures, mean age 67.1 years
Inclusion
  • ICD-9-CM procedure codes 00.70-00.73, 80.05, or 81.53
  • Procedures October 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006
  • Included in HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample
Follow-up
Not applicable (cross-sectional administrative data)
Statistics
Weighted national estimatesDescriptive frequency analysisStratified subgroup analysis

Key Findings

  • Instability/dislocation was the #1 cause of revision THA nationally at 22.5%, ahead of mechanical loosening (19.7%) and infection (14.8%). It was also the leading indication specifically for acetabular revision (33.0%) and head/liner exchange (32.8%). This challenges the traditional teaching that loosening dominates — instability is now the primary driver, and it is potentially preventable with technique and implant selection.
  • Mechanical loosening drove the most complex cases: it was the top indication for all-component revision (22.8%) and femoral component revision (24.7%). Periprosthetic fracture was also a major driver of femoral revision specifically (18.7%), reinforcing why femoral component revision tends to be the most technically demanding subset.
  • All-component revision was the most common procedure performed at 41.1% of all cases, with femoral-only (13.2%), acetabular-only (12.7%), and head/liner exchange (12.6%) all occurring at much lower and nearly equal rates. There is a concern in the paper that head/liner exchanges may have been miscoded as all-component revisions, so the 41.1% figure may be an overestimate.
  • Infection drove 74.3% of all arthrotomy/prosthesis-removal cases and carried the highest resource burden of any revision type: average LOS 11.8 days and average charges $69,380. Compare this to isolated head/liner exchange, the least intensive procedure, at 5.0 days and $42,245. When you are staging a two-stage revision, expect roughly 2.4× the hospital stay and 1.6× the charges of a simple bearing exchange.
  • Medicare paid for 64.0% of all revision THA procedures, and 55.7% were performed in urban nonteaching community hospitals. Not academic centers. This matters for health policy: most of the national revision burden lands outside high-volume academic programs, where technique variation is greatest.
  • Geographic variation in charges was striking and independent of procedure mix: average charges in the West ($67,779) were 1.4× those in the Midwest ($47,504). This signals that cost drivers beyond case complexity. Regional pricing, implant contracts, care pathways. Are substantial.
Board PearlInstability/dislocation (22.5%) surpasses mechanical loosening (19.7%) as the #1 cause of revision THA nationally.

Clinical Relevance

When a patient asks why their THA might eventually need revision, the most honest answer based on national data is: instability first, loosening second, infection third. This paper inverted the prior assumption that aseptic loosening was the dominant failure mode.

When counseling patients preoperatively, particularly those at higher dislocation risk (prior hip surgery, neuromuscular disease, posterior approach), this data supports aggressive discussion of component positioning, approach selection, and head size — because instability is now the leading reason people go back to the OR.

When you see an infected THA requiring a two-stage revision, plan for nearly double the hospital resource consumption of any other revision type (LOS 11.8 days, charges $69,380). This is the basis for how hospitals budget and how payers authorize these admissions.

The paper also highlights that most revision THA happens in community hospitals, not academic centers. Familiarity with the ICD-9-CM revision codes and accurate operative documentation directly affects how institutional data is captured and how performance is publicly reported.

Related Articles