{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T00:35:58Z","timestamp":1787790958512,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]],"date-time":"2026-08-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787356800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]],"date-time":"2026-08-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787356800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"name":"Justus-Liebig-Universit\u00e4t Gie\u00dfen"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Arch Orthop Trauma Surg"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Concerns regarding the timing of elective surgery remain common among patients and may influence surgical scheduling. Superstition-associated calendar dates such as Friday the 13th are frequently perceived as \u201chigh-risk\u201d time points, yet evidence regarding their impact on arthroplasty outcomes is lacking. This study investigated whether primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) performed on these dates are associated with differences in revision risk, mortality, or procedure frequency.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted using Medicare physician service records (2009\u20132019). Primary THA and TKA procedures were identified in a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries aged\u2009\u2265\u200965 years. Outcomes included aseptic revision, septic revision, and mortality. Competing-risk survival analyses (Fine\u2013Gray) and multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic covariates were applied. Procedure volumes were compared between superstition-associated and control dates.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 945 arthroplasties were performed on Fridays falling on the 13th. No significant differences were observed in aseptic revision, septic revision, or mortality compared with control dates. For Friday the 13th, hazard ratios were 0.80 (95% CI 0.44\u20131.47) for aseptic revision, 0.83 (95% CI 0.31\u20132.25) for septic revision, and 1.00 (95% CI 0.83\u20131.19) for mortality. Procedure volumes did not differ significantly between superstition-associated and control dates.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In this large registry-based study, the timing of elective total joint arthroplasty on superstition-associated calendar dates was not associated with increased complication risk, mortality, or changes in procedure volume. These findings may support evidence-based patient counselling and surgical scheduling in elective arthroplasty<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1007\/s00402-026-06405-1","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]],"date-time":"2026-08-22T15:27:11Z","timestamp":1787412431000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Elective arthroplasty on \u201chigh-risk\u201d calendar dates: no evidence for worse outcomes in 43,000 procedures"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"146","author":[{"given":"Nike","family":"Walter","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David W.","family":"Lowenberg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christian","family":"Heiss","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Edmund C.","family":"Lau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Markus","family":"Rupp","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"6405_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Foster KR, Kokko H (2009) The evolution of superstitious and superstition-like behaviour. Proc Biol Sci 276:31\u201337","DOI":"10.1098\/rspb.2008.0981"},{"key":"6405_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1177\/0146167202281009","volume":"28","author":"G Keinan","year":"2002","unstructured":"Keinan G (2002) The effects of stress and desire for control on superstitious behavior. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 28:102\u2013108","journal-title":"Pers Soc Psychol Bull"},{"key":"6405_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"111718","DOI":"10.1016\/j.paid.2022.111718","volume":"196","author":"A Hoffmann","year":"2022","unstructured":"Hoffmann A, Plotkina D, Roger P, D\u2019Hondt C (2022) Superstitious beliefs, locus of control, and feeling at risk in the face of Covid-19. Pers Indiv Differ 196:111718","journal-title":"Pers Indiv Differ"},{"key":"6405_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsurg.2010.08.007","volume":"68","author":"D Taylor","year":"2011","unstructured":"Taylor D et al (2011) Spirituality within the patient-surgeon relationship. J Surg Educ 68:36\u201343","journal-title":"J Surg Educ"},{"key":"6405_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"964","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2006.01.012","volume":"59","author":"PC Austin","year":"2006","unstructured":"Austin PC, Mamdani MM, Juurlink DN, Hux JE (2006) Testing multiple statistical hypotheses resulted in spurious associations: a study of astrological signs and health. J Clin Epidemiol 59:964\u2013969","journal-title":"J Clin Epidemiol"},{"key":"6405_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1136\/postgradmedj-2020-139058","volume":"98","author":"H Morgan","year":"2022","unstructured":"Morgan H, Collins H, Moore S, Eley C (2022) Written in the stars: did your specialty choose you? Postgrad Med J 98:205\u2013211","journal-title":"Postgrad Med J"},{"key":"6405_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Scanlon TJ, Luben RN, Scanlon FL, Singleton N (1993) Is Friday the 13th bad for your health? BMJ 307:1584\u20131586","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.307.6919.1584"},{"key":"6405_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1945","DOI":"10.1007\/s00268-011-1166-8","volume":"35","author":"J Schuld","year":"2011","unstructured":"Schuld J et al (2011) Popular belief meets surgical reality: impact of lunar phases, Friday the 13th and zodiac signs on emergency operations and intraoperative blood loss. World J Surg 35:1945\u20131949","journal-title":"World J Surg"},{"key":"6405_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1007\/s11657-020-00748-x","volume":"15","author":"EK Nolan","year":"2020","unstructured":"Nolan EK, Chen H-Y (2020) A comparison of the Cox model to the fine-gray model for survival analyses of re-fracture rates. Arch Osteoporos 15:86","journal-title":"Archives Osteoporos"},{"key":"6405_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"819","DOI":"10.1177\/1558944718770206","volume":"14","author":"E Zhao","year":"2019","unstructured":"Zhao E, Tiedeken N, Wang W, Fowler J (2019) The black cloud phenomenon in hand surgery. Hand 14:819\u2013822","journal-title":"Hand (New York N Y)"},{"key":"6405_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e13","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bjoms.2020.08.044","volume":"59","author":"S Singh Dubb","year":"2021","unstructured":"Singh Dubb S, Ferro A, Fowell C (2021) Shh-don\u2019t say the Q-word or do you? Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 59:e13\u2013e16","journal-title":"Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg"},{"key":"6405_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0167480","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0167480","volume":"11","author":"A Kuriyama","year":"2016","unstructured":"Kuriyama A et al (2016) Impact of attending physicians\u2019 comments on residents\u2019 workloads in the emergency department: results from two J(^o^)PAN randomized controlled trials. PLoS ONE 11:e0167480","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"6405_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"l6446","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.l6446","volume":"367","author":"CR Brookfield","year":"2019","unstructured":"Brookfield CR, Phillips PPJ, Shorten RJ (2019) Q fever-the superstition of avoiding the word quiet as a coping mechanism: randomised controlled non-inferiority trial. BMJ 367:l6446","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"6405_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00402-023-04919-6","author":"P Nardelli","year":"2023","unstructured":"Nardelli P et al (2023) Moonlight surgery: no influence of moon phase or Friday 13th on outcomes of total knee arthroplasty. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00402-023-04919-6","journal-title":"Arch Orthop Trauma Surg"},{"key":"6405_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1946527","DOI":"10.1155\/2017\/1946527","volume":"2017","author":"E-M Faschinger","year":"2017","unstructured":"Faschinger E-M, V\u00e9csei-Marlovits PV, Rabensteiner DF, Weingessel B (2017) The influence of lunar phases on complications in cataract surgery: an analysis of 16,965 patients. J Ophthalmol 2017:1946527","journal-title":"J Ophthalmol"},{"key":"6405_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1520","DOI":"10.1016\/j.arth.2020.11.032","volume":"36","author":"JQ Trinh","year":"2021","unstructured":"Trinh JQ et al (2021) Resilience and depression influence clinical outcomes following primary total joint arthroplasty. J Arthroplast 36:1520\u20131526","journal-title":"J Arthroplast"},{"key":"6405_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1799","DOI":"10.2106\/JBJS.O.00134","volume":"97","author":"AJ Pugely","year":"2015","unstructured":"Pugely AJ et al (2015) Database and registry research in orthopaedic surgery: part 2: clinical registry data. J Bone Joint Surg Am Vol 97:1799\u20131808","journal-title":"J Bone Joint Surg Am Vol"},{"key":"6405_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1278","DOI":"10.2106\/JBJS.N.01260","volume":"97","author":"AJ Pugely","year":"2015","unstructured":"Pugely AJ et al (2015) Database and registry research in orthopaedic surgery: part i: claims-based data. J Bone Joint Surg Am Vol 97:1278\u20131287","journal-title":"J Bone Joint Surg Am Vol"}],"container-title":["Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s00402-026-06405-1.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00402-026-06405-1","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s00402-026-06405-1.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,23]],"date-time":"2026-08-23T04:01:57Z","timestamp":1787457717000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/s00402-026-06405-1"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]]},"references-count":18,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,12]]}},"alternative-id":["6405"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00402-026-06405-1","relation":{},"ISSN":["1434-3916"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1434-3916","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]]},"assertion":[{"value":"21 February 2026","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"23 June 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"22 August 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Conflict of interest","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"This study is based on data from the Medicare Physician Service Records Data Base. These records encompassed diagnoses and treatments rendered in medical offices, outpatient clinics, hospitals, emergency departments, skilled nursing home, and other healthcare facilities. They were compiled by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and after deidentification were made available for researcher, known as the Limited Data Set (LDS). Since the CMS data is deidentified, it was exempt from review by the Institutional Review Board. Accordingly, IRB approval was waived by the ethic committee of XX.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethical approval","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","label":"Consent to participate","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","label":"Consent for publication","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}],"article-number":"309"}}