Outcomes and patient safety in overlapping vs. nonoverlapping total joint arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Previous research has raised concerns about safety risks associated with overlapping surgery, defined as two procedures performed concurrently, but where critical surgical portions of each procedure occur at different times. Based on a meta-analysis of six articles reporting on nearly 36,000 joint replacement patients, the authors of this systematic review found that rates of surgical complications and readmissions were similar among overlapping and nonoverlapping surgery in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty.