Table 7.

Complications, incidence, and costs for diagnostic knee arthroscopy

Complication	Incidence	Cost for treatment (CY 2013)—Medicare
Re-operation (any reason, including infection)	0.30 % (3 out of 1,000) [21]	CPT 29871 (surgical, for infection, lavage and drainage): US$521.91 APC 0041(knee arthroscopy/drainage): US$2,111.62
VTE—unspecified	0.19 % (1.9 out of 1,000) [21]	Costs over a 12-month timeframe for treating VTE [37]: US$14,865
DVT	0.12 % (1.2 out of 1,000) [21]	Costs over a 12-month timeframe for treating DVT [37]: US$14,865
PE	0.08 % (0.8 out of 1,000) [21]	Costs over a 12-month timeframe for treating PE [37]: US$22,900
Infection	0.01 % (1 out of 10,000) [38]	CPT 29871 (surgical, for infection, lavage and drainage): US$521.91 APC 0041(knee arthroscopy/drainage): US$2,111.62

APC Ambulatory Payment Classification, CPT Current Procedural Terminology, CY calendar year, DVT deep vein thrombosis, PE pulmonary embolism, VTE venous thromboembolism