While some of the most frequent procedures varied by age group, some were common across several age groups.

• Blood transfusion was a top five procedure in all age groups except infants less than 1 year old. It was the third most common procedure for 1-17 year olds and the first for adults 45-64, 65-84, and 85 years and older. Blood transfusion was one of the fastest growing procedures from 1997 to 2009, more than doubling for patients 18-44, 45-64, and 65-84.
• Respiratory intubation and mechanical ventilation was common for all age groups except 18 to 44 year olds. The rate of respiratory intubation and mechanical ventilation grew rapidly from 1997 to 2009 among 45-64 year olds (69 percent), 65-84 year olds (33 percent), and seniors 85 years and older (28 percent).
• Diagnostic cardiac catheterization and coronary arteriography was common for 45-64 year olds (638,000 procedures) and 65-84 year olds (664,000 procedures), but the rate of procedures declined about 20 percent from 1997 to 2009 in both age groups.

For infants:

• The most common procedures performed on infants were routine procedures, such as vaccinations (performed in 3,556 stays per 10,000 infants) and circumcision (performed in 2,746 stays per 10,000 infants).
• In 2009, 1.2 million circumcisions were completed in the hospital (55 percent of male liveborn infants).
• Procedures on infants also included those done for complex conditions affecting severely ill babies, such as respiratory intubation and mechanical ventilation (414 stays per 10,000 infants), enteral/parenteral nutrition (287 stays per 10,000 infants), and diagnostic spinal tap (199 stays per 10,000 infants).
• The rate of enteral and parenteral nutrition, or tube feeding, during infant hospitalizations increased 176 percent whereas the rate of spinal tap procedures decreased 49 percent.

For children 1-17:

• Appendectomy was the most common procedure for 1-17 year olds, performed in 12 stays per 10,000 population in this age group.
• Other top procedures common in stays for children included repair of obstetric laceration in teen deliveries, blood transfusion, cancer chemotherapy, and respiratory intubation and mechanical ventilation.

For adults 18-44:

• Four of the top five most common procedures were related to pregnancy and childbirth for adults 18-44 years old.
• Cesarean sections and repair of obstetric laceration were the most frequently performed procedures, performed in 119 and 114 stays per 10,000 population among this age group in 2009.
• The rate of Cesarean sections increased by 69 percent from 1997 to 2009.
• The rate of stays with artificial rupture of membranes to assist delivery also experienced rapid growth from 1997 to 2009 (up 23 percent), while the rate of fetal monitoring procedures remained relatively stable.
• Blood transfusion was the fifth most frequent procedure among adults 18-44 years old, and the rate of this procedure more than doubled from 1997 to 2009 (from 13 to 29 stays per 10,000 population).

For adults 45-64 and 65-84:

• In 2009, the top four most frequently performed procedures were the same for individuals 45-64 and 65-84 years old: blood transfusion, diagnostic cardiac catheterization and coronary arteriography, respiratory intubation and mechanical ventilation, and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
• Blood transfusion was the leading procedure for 45-64 year olds and 65-84 year olds, and the rate of stays with this procedure more than doubled in both age groups from 1997 to 2009.
• Diagnostic cardiac catheterization and coronary arteriography was the second most common procedure performed in each of these age groups.
• Hemodialysis was a top procedure among individuals 45-64, and the rate of stays with this procedure increased by about 50 percent from 1997 to 2009 (from 27 to 41 stays per 10,000 population).
• Knee replacement was a top procedure among individuals 65-84, and the rate of stays with this procedure increased by 63 percent from 1997 to 2009 (from 66 to 108 stays per 10,000 population).

For adults 85 years and older:

• For patients 85 years and older, blood transfusion was the most common procedure, occurring in 667 stays per 10,000 population.
• Echocardiogram was the fourth most frequent procedure for patients 85 years and older (86,000 stays), and the rate of stays with this procedure remained relatively stable from 1997 to 2009 (7 percent decline).
• Treatment of a fracture or dislocation of the hip and femur was a frequent procedure performed during a hospital stay and appeared only in this age group.
• The rate of stays for treatment of a hip fracture or dislocation declined (31 percent) from 1997 to 2009, accounting for 86,000 stays in 2009.

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