Burden of routine orthopedic implant removal a single center retrospective study

Table 1 Total sample with demographic and clinical characteristics (n = 167)

Variable	Frequency (%)
Gender
Male	114 (68)
Female	53 (32)
Nationality
Saudi	150 (90)
Non-Saudi1	17 (10)
Length of stay
1 d	93 (56)
> 1 d	74 (44)
Complication rate
At least 12	10 (6)
No complication	157 (94)
Sick leave
No sick leave	110 (65.9)
≤ 14 d	49 (29.3)
> 14 d	8 (4.8)
Type of anesthesia
Regional	20 (12)
General	147 (88)
Duration of surgery (min)
Mean (SD)	77.1 (54.7)
Period between insertion and removal (mo)
Mean (SD)	18.6 (17.9)
Age
Mean (SD)	25 (18)

¹Non-Saudis include patients from Yemen, Palestine, Nigeria, Nazih (no nationality), Pakistan, Australia, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Jordan.

²Complications include stiffness, contaminated wound, pain, and limited range of motion.

Table 2 Upper limb or spine vs lower limb with demographic and clinical characteristics of patients

Variable	Upper limb or spine, n = 55 (%)	Lower limb, n = 112 (%)	Test (P value)
Gender			χ2 = 2.48 (0.115)
Male	42 (76.4)	72 (64.3)
Female	13 (23.6)	40 (35.7)
Nationality			χ2 = 0.106 (0.744)
Saudi	50 (90.9)	100 (89.3)
Non-Saudi1	5 (9.1)	12 (10.7)
Age			t = -0.355 (0.723)
Mean (± SD)	24 (± 16)	25 (± 18)
Adults or pediatrics			χ2 = 0.598 (0.439)
Adults	34 (61.8)	76 (67.9)
Pediatrics	21 (38.2)	36 (32.1)
Length of stay			χ2 = 0.618 (0.432)
1 d	33 (60)	60 (53.6)
> 1 d	22 (40)	52 (46.4)
Complication rate			χ2 = 0.041 (0.839)
At least 12	3 (5.5)	7 (6.25)
No complication	52 (94.5)	105 (93.75)
Sick leave			χ2 = 1.606 (0.448)
No sick leave	37 (67.3)	73 (65.2)
≤ 14 d	17 (30.9)	32 (28.6)
> 14 d	1 (1.8)	7 (6.2)
Type of anesthesia			χ2 = 5.411 (0.02)
Regional	2 (3.6)	18 (16.1)
General	53 (96.4)	94 (83.9)
Duration of surgery (min) mean (SD)	74.7 (57.1)	78.2 (53.8)	t = -0.387 (0.699)
Period between insertion and removal (mo) mean (SD)	14.5 (13.5)	20.6 (19.5)	t = -2.104 (0.037)

¹Non-Saudis include patients from Yemen, Palestine, Nigeria, Nazih (no nationality), Pakistan, Australia, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Jordan.

²Complications include stiffness, contaminated wound, pain, and limited range of motion. Bold indicated significant associations.

Table 3 Demographic and clinical characteristics of pediatric vs adult patient

Variable	Pediatrics, n = 57 (%)	Adults, n = 110 (%)	Test (P value)
Gender			χ2 = 7.69 (0.006)
Male	31 (54.4)	83 (75.5)
Female	26 (45.6)	27 (24.5)
Nationality			χ2 = 0.188 (0.665)
Saudi	52 (91.2)	98 (89.1)
Non-Saudi1	5 (8.8)	12 (10.9)
Length of stay			χ2 = 16.2 (< 0.001)
1 d	44 (77.2)	49 (44.5)
> 1 d	13 (22.8)	61 (55.5)
Upper limb and spine or lower limb			χ2 = 0.598 (0.439)
Upper limb or spine	21 (36.8)	34 (30.9)
Lower limb	36 (63.2)	76 (69.1)
Complication rate			χ2 = 0.081 (0.776)
At least 12	3 (5.3)	7 (6.4)
No complication	54 (94.7)	103 (93.6)
Sick leave			χ2 = 4.13 (0.127)
No sick leave	43 (75.4)	67 (60.9)
≤ 14 d	13 (22.8)	36 (32.7)
> 14 d	1 (1.8)	7 (6.4)
Type of anesthesia			χ2 = 5.89 (0.015)
Regional	2 (3.5)	18 (16.4)
General	55 (96.5)	92 (83.6)
Duration of surgery (min) mean (± SD)	77.07 (37.8)	77.05 (61.9)	t = 0.003 (0.997)
Period between insertion and removal (mo) mean (± SD)	12.3 (8.3)	21.9 (20.6)	t = -4.27 (< 0.001)

¹Non-Saudis include patients from Yemen, Palestine, Nigeria, Nazih (No nationality), Pakistan, Australia, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Jordan.

²Complications include stiffness, contaminated wound, pain, and limited range of motion. Bold indicated significant associations.