Perioperative factors associated with septic arthritis after arthroplasty. Prospective multicenter study of 362 knee and 2,651 hip operations
Wymenga, A.B.; van Horn, J.R.; Theeuwes, A.; Muytjens, H.L.; Slooff, T.J.
Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica 63(6): 665-671
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6470 PMID: 1471519 Document Number: 396105
Perioperative factors associated with late septic arthritis after knee and hip arthroplasties were prospectively investigated. All patients received a short course of perioperative cefuroxime. After a follow-up of 21 year, septic arthritis was diagnosed in 9/362 patiens (2.5 percent) after the knee arthroplasty and in 17/2651 patients (0.64 percent) after hip arthroplasty. For the knee, factors associated with septic arthritis after arthroplasty were rheumatoid arthritis, wound infection, an unhealed wound, and a painful, limited knee function at discharge from the hospital. For the hip, corresponding risk, factors were diabetes, failed fracture osteosynthesis, a breakdown of sterility during operation, wound infection, postoperative urinary tract infection, and an unhealed wound at discharge from the hospital or a difficult rehabilitation course. Reoperation after knee and hip arthroplasty was also clearly associated with a higher incidence of septic arthritis.