ACS NSQIP Pediatric Participant Use Data File

The Pediatric Participant Use Data File (PUF) is a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant data file containing cases submitted to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric® (ACS NSQIP Pediatric®). The PUF contains patient-level, aggregate data and does not identify hospitals, health care providers, or patients. The intended purpose of this file is to provide researchers at participating sites with a data resource they can use to investigate and advance the quality of care delivered to the surgical patient through the analysis of cases captured by ACS NSQIP Pediatric. The PUF is provided at no additional cost to employees (e.g., Surgeons, Surgical Clinical Reviewers, researchers, etc.) of ACS NSQIP Pediatric participating hospitals.

The 2023 PUF contains 151,466 cases submitted in 2023 from 157 participating sites. Eleven other PUFs, containing a database of more than one million cases, are also available. Only cases included in corresponding Semiannual Report (SAR) risk-adjustment calculations are in the PUF datasets. Variable formats, variable definitions (which can change from year to year), and other supporting information are available in the Pediatric PUF User Guides. The data files are made available in a delimited text, SAS, and SPSS file type.

The 2023 Pediatric PUF User Guide is available.

Previously Available Pediatric PUFs

2022—146,331 cases submitted by 157 hospitals (2022 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2021—141,843 cases submitted by 150 hospitals (2021 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2020—128,395 cases submitted by 148 hospitals (2020 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2019—132,881 cases submitted by 141 hospitals (2019 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2018—119,486 cases submitted by 127 hospitals (2018 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2017—113,922 cases submitted by 109 hospitals (2017 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2016—101,887 cases submitted by 101 hospitals (2016 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2015—84,056 cases submitted by 80 hospitals (2015 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2014—68,838 cases submitted by 50 hospitals (2014 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2013—63,387 cases submitted by 56 hospitals (2013 Pediatric PUF User Guide)
2012—51,008 cases submitted by 50 hospitals (2012 Pediatric PUF User Guide)

Procedure Targeted PUFs

The corresponding 2023 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUFs for Appendectomy, Spinal Fusion, and Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) PUF are available as well. For background information on the case inclusion/exclusion criteria and the data collection and submission processes, please visit the Program Specific page. Variable formats, variable definitions, and other supporting information are available in the PUF User Guides. Each case in the Targeted PUF files can be merged with a case in the time-corresponding standard PUF using a key-matching variable. The data files are made available in a delimited text, SAS, and SPSS file type. The 2023 Procedure Targeted PUFs and their sizes are:

2023 Appendectomy PUF—23,340 cases submitted by 147 hospitals
2023 Spinal Fusion PUF—7,397 cases submitted by 143 hospitals
2023 Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) PUF—2,439 cases submitted by 137 hospitals

The 2023 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide is available.

24 other previously released Procedure Targeted PUFs are also available.

Appendectomy PUF (6 files available)

2022 Appendectomy PUF—22,681 cases submitted by 148 hospitals
2021 Appendectomy PUF—22,212 cases submitted by 140 hospitals
2020 Appendectomy PUF—21,445 cases submitted by 140 hospitals
2019 Appendectomy PUF—20,658 cases submitted by 134 hospitals
2018 Appendectomy PUF—16,986 cases submitted by 122 hospitals
2017 Appendectomy PUF—14,463 cases submitted by 106 hospitals
2016 Appendectomy PUF—13,114 cases submitted by 101 hospitals
2015 PUF—10,570 cases submitted by 20 hospitals

Spinal Fusion PUF (5 files available)

2022 Spinal Fusion PUF—7,045 cases submitted by 145 hospitals
2021 Spinal Fusion PUF—7,125 cases submitted by 139 hospitals
2020 Spinal Fusion PUF—6,019 cases submitted by 131 hospitals
2019 Spinal Fusion PUF—6,153 cases submitted by 124 hospitals
2018 Spinal Fusion PUF—5,333 cases submitted by 112 hospitals
2017 Spinal Fusion PUF—4,260 cases submitted by 98 hospitals
2016 Spinal Fusion PUF—3,728 cases submitted by 93 hospitals

CSF Shunt PUF (5 files available)

2021 CSF Shunt PUF—2,411 cases submitted by 135 hospitals
2020 CSF Shunt PUF—2,096 cases submitted by 131 hospitals
2019 CSF Shunt PUF—2,298 cases submitted by 131 hospitals
2018 CSF Shunt PUF—1,493 cases submitted by 115 hospitals
2017 CSF Shunt PUF—1,128 cases submitted by 102 hospitals
2016 CSF Shunt PUF—1,452 cases submitted by 96 hospitals

Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) PUF (1 file available)

2022 Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) PUF—2,305 cases submitted by 136 hospitals
2021 Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) PUF—1,807 cases submitted by 126 hospitals
2020 Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) PUF—1,742 cases submitted by 124 hospitals

Previous Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guides

2022 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide
2021 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide
2020 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide
2019 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide
2018 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide
2017 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide
2016 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide
2015 Pediatric Procedure Targeted PUF User Guide

Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis (SAP) PUF

The third Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis (SAP) PUF is now available. The 2023 SAP PUF contains 97,787 cases submitted by 157 hospitals. Case inclusion/exclusion criteria, variable formats, variable definitions, and other supporting information are available in the SAP PUF User Guide. Each case in the SAP PUF file can be merged with a case in the time-corresponding standard PUF using a key-matching variable.

The 2023 Pediatric SAP PUF User Guide is available here:

2023 Pediatric SAP PUF User Guide

Two other previously released SAP PUFs are also available:

2022 Pediatric SAP PUF User Guide

2021 Pediatric SAP PUF User Guide

Requesting a PUF

To request a copy of the PUF, individuals (data recipients) must agree to comply with the terms and conditions set forth in the Data Use Agreement, provide contact information, and complete a short online questionnaire. Once the information provided by the data recipient is received and processed by ACS NSQIP staff, a website address will be submitted electronically to the data recipient. The data recipient will then have 10 days (240 hours) to visit the website and download the data file.

PUF Eligibility

ACS NSQIP Pediatric PUF access is a benefit of NSQIP Pediatric participation and is reserved for staff at participating and active ACS NSQIP Pediatric hospitals. ACS policies do not allow access or sale to non-participants. You may read more about the PUF eligibility requirements, approval process, as well as other frequently asked questions here:

ACS NSQIP PUF Eligibility Requirements and FAQs

For questions or comments about the PUF, please contact Brian Matel at bmatel@facs.org.