What is the Case Volume of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeons in the Military Health System? An Assessment of Wartime Readiness and Skills Sustainment.
| Title: | What is the Case Volume of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeons in the Military Health System? An Assessment of Wartime Readiness and Skills Sustainment. |
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| Authors: | Overmann AL; Orthopaedic Surgery, Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Eisenhower, GA 30905, USA.; Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.; Harrington CJ; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.; Orthopaedic Surgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA.; Richards JT; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.; Orthopaedic Surgery, Naval Medical Center LeJeune, Camp Lejeune, NC 28547, USA.; Colantonio DT; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.; Orthopaedic Surgery, Keller Army Community Hospital, West Point, NY 10996, USA.; Renninger CH; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.; Orthopaedic Surgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA.; Stinner DJ; Orthopaedic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.; Orthopaedic Surgery, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, TN 42223, USA.; Forsberg JA; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA. |
| Source: | Military medicine [Mil Med] 2025 Jan 16; Vol. 190 (1-2), pp. e135-e139. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 2984771R Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1930-613X (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00264075 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Mil Med Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2018- : Oxford : Oxford University Press; Original Publication: Washington, D.C. : Association of Military Surgeons, United States, 1955- |
| MeSH Terms: | Orthopedic Surgeons*/statistics & numerical data ; Orthopedic Surgeons*/standards ; Clinical Competence*/standards ; Clinical Competence*/statistics & numerical data ; Orthopedics*/statistics & numerical data ; Orthopedics*/methods; Military Medicine/statistics & numerical data ; Military Medicine/methods ; Warfare/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; United States |
| Abstract: | Introduction: Complex, high-energy extremity trauma secondary to explosive mechanisms has been increasingly common in modern warfare, accounting for a majority of combat wounds throughout the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fellowship-trained orthopaedic trauma surgeons treated many of these complex injuries; however, as the number of casualties continue to decrease during a period of relative peace, a growing concern over maintaining military trauma readiness exists.; Methods: The Military Health System Data Repository was queried for all Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes associated with 18 fellowship-trained orthopaedic trauma surgeons from 2013 to 2019. The codes were further analyzed and categorized based on common trauma subspecialty procedures such as fracture fixation of the pelvic ring, acetabulum, upper and lower extremity, peri-articular, and nonunion/malunion surgery. We used descriptive statistics to quantify both the average number of cases per surgeon per year in each of the subcategories and case volume among Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) during the study period.; Results: We identified 7,769 CPT codes for surgical procedures throughout the study period. The most common surgical procedures performed were: removal of implant (n = 836, 11%), knee arthroscopy (n = 507, 7%), and debridement of devitalized tissue (n = 345, 4%). The total trauma subspecialty procedural codes and average cases per surgeon per year were as follows: pelvic ring (n = 54, |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20240620 Date Completed: 20250423 Latest Revision: 20250514 |
| Update Code: | 20260130 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/milmed/usae314 |
| PMID: | 38900157 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article