What Were the Most Common Medical and Surgical Procedures for Various Age Groups?
• In 2003, blood transfusions were among the top 10 procedures performed in all age groups, occurring in 77 percent more hospitalizations than in 1997. During this 7-year period, the number of transfusions for patients 45 to 64 years of age nearly doubled. The largest increase in the percentage of hospital stays involving a blood transfusion—nearly 70 percent—occurred for individuals age 65 and older. This increase in transfusions was accompanied by a 78-percent increase in the number of hospitalizations for anemia in 2003. • Similar to the pattern in 1997, respiratory intubation was also among the top 10 procedures for all age groups. But unlike blood transfusions, the number of intubations decreased over the 7-year period for each age group. • The 2 most common procedures for children under 1 year of age remained the same in 2003: circumcisions and vaccinations. Circumcisions continued to be performed on 1.2 million infant boys. Vaccinations continued to be the second most common pro
