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Infection risk after hip arthroscopy affected by timing of intra-articular hip injection
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Patients who received a preoperative intra-articular hip injection within 3 months of hip arthroscopy experienced an increased risk of infection, according to results.
Brian C. Werner, MD, and colleagues identified 2,351 privately insured patients and 5,269 Medicare beneficiaries who underwent hip arthroscopy between 2007 to 2015 and 2005 to 2012, respectively, and received an ipsilateral preoperative intra-articular hip injection. Researchers divided patients based on the interval between preoperative injection and ipsilateral hip arthroscopy of either less than 3 months, 3 months to 6 months or 6 months to 12 months. Patients with no history or a remote history of preoperative hip injection were compared as a control group, and researchers identified all patients who developed a surgical site infection within 6 months following hip arthroscopy.
Results showed within 12 months of hip arthroscopy 19% of privately insured patients and 6% of Medicare patients received a hip injection. Researchers noted an overall infection rate of 1.19% and 1.10% for privately insured and Medicare patients, respectively. Compared with controls, results showed patients who received a preoperative hip injection within 3 months of surgery had a significantly higher risk of postoperative infection. However, patients who received preoperative hip injection after more than 3 months of surgery did not have an increased risk of postoperative infection, according to results.
“This study demonstrated an association between intra-articular hip injections within 3 months prior to hip arthroscopy and an increased risk for postoperative infection,” Werner told Healio.com/Orthopedics. “The findings were consistent across two large insurance databases, although based on this retrospective study, causality cannot be established. We recommend that providers be mindful of the potential risks if hip arthroscopy is performed within 3 months of hip injection.” – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: Werner reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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