U.S. Surgical Procedure Volumes

This report presents the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States (U.S.) as well as an overview of the etiology and epidemiology of selected diseases/disorders, prevailing surgical approaches/techniques, and evolving procedural utilization trends. The forecast period covered by this report is for the years 2010 through 2017, with compound annual growth rates for the years 2011 through 2017. Surgical procedures covered by this report include:

• cardiovascular/thoracic;
• cosmetic;
• general;
• major organ/tissue transplantation;
• neurosurgical;
• obstetric/gynecologic;
• ophthalmic;
• orthopedic/spine;
• urologic; and,
• miscellaneous.

Over the years, the number of outpatient surgical procedures performed in the U.S.has been gradually expanding, reflecting the steady migration of patients from acute care settings. By the end of 2010, outpatient procedures accounted for more than 50% of all surgeries and transcatheter interventions performed in the U.S.; this compares to less than 33% in 2000. The trend toward outpatient procedures is expected to continue over the forecast period covered by this report, though at a somewhat slower pace than in previous years. However, this is not expected to preclude expansion in complex, high-volume inpatient procedures, which will be supported by the aging of the U.S. population and the increasing prevalence of concurrent chronic conditions and acuity of treated geriatric caseloads.

Over the past few years, the unfavorable economic environment in the U.S. has prompted a visible decline in the number of elective surgical procedures, particularly those not covered by Medicare and private insurers. This trend, however, is expected to dissipate over the forthcoming years should the economic recovery become a sustainable reality.

Overall, the total number of procedures covered by this report is projected to increase at a low single-digit rate, with the number of outpatient surgical and transcatheter interventions reaching 65% to 70% of the total by the end of the forecast period.