Effect of Surgical Start Time on Length of Stay, Morbidity Rate, and Surgical Risk in Elective Total Hip Arthroplasty.

There is conflicting literature regarding the effect of surgical start time for total hip arthroplasty (THA) on morbidity. This study examined outcomes between start time groups in elective THA. A retrospective review identified patients undergoing elective cementless primary THA between 2009 and 2019. Patients were divided into morning or evening start time groups. Chi-squared analysis and independent sample t-tests were run to detect differences between groups in matched and unmatched analysis. Five hundred fifteen patients were identified based on selection criteria. Chi-squared analysis and independent sample t-tests identified no significant differences in duration of surgery, estimated blood loss, length of stay, or other complications between start time groups. This study provided clinical data over a 10-year period supporting that surgical start time in elective THA does not have a significant impact on outcomes. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 33(4):240-243, 2024).