Findings from a study published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery suggest that, in an ambulatory setting, the practice of overlapping surgery may not be associated with increased complication rates compared to non-overlapping procedures. 

The researchers conducted a retrospective review of 3,640 orthopaedic cases performed, 68 percent of which were overlapping. They found no significant difference across cohorts in mean procedure time, total operating room time, or 30-day complication rates. In addition, they found that stratification based on subspecialty surgery also demonstrated no difference in complications between groups. Finally, the researchers noted no link between amount of overlap between cases and complication rate. The researchers note a distinction between concurrent surgery—in which critical portions of procedures occur simultaneously—and overlapping surgery, in which they do not. Learn more...