Hip and knee arthroplasty: quo vadis?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Infectious disease epidemiology

Background:

• Surgical site infection (SSI) rates have generally decreased over the past 20 years.
• A recent increase in SSI incidence has been observed following hip and knee arthroplasty procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the recent surge in surgical site infections (SSI) after hip and knee arthroplasty.
• To explore potential factors contributing to the rising SSI trend in joint replacement surgeries.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of trends in surgical site infection (SSI) rates for hip and knee arthroplasty.
• Evaluation of potential contributing factors, including technical changes and early intervention protocols.

Main Results:

• Despite a long-term decrease, SSI incidence after hip and knee arthroplasty has recently increased.
• Potential explanations include the implementation of fast track programs and early interventions for suspected SSIs.

Conclusions:

• The rising trend of surgical site infections (SSI) in hip and knee arthroplasty necessitates further research.
• Early interventions, while beneficial, may influence SSI scoring and require careful interpretation.