Incidence of early post operative surgical site infection after primary total hip arthroplasty in the African setting

Abstract

Background: Implant orthopaedic surgery is associated with a risk of post operative Surgical Site Infection (SSI). This can have devastating consequences in the case of arthroplasty. Due to the less than ideal circumstances under which surgery is conducted in Africa, there are concerns that the risk of SSI may be high. Objective: To determine the incidence of post operative SSI after primary total hip arthroplasty. Design: A retrospective cohort study. Methods: All primary total hip arthroplasties done from 1998 to 2011 were reviewed. The incidence of infection was determined on follow-up of the patients. The study was approved by the hospital ethics committee. Results: The overall incidence of post operative SSI was 1.5%. Co-morbidities identified were not associated with an increased risk of infection. Increased duration of surgery and increased body weight were also not found to increase the risk of post operative SSI. Conclusion: The risk of post operative SSI after total hip arthroplasties is low in the African setting. Further investigation is recommended to identify modifiable risk factors that may increase the risk of SSI. Key words: Post operative, Surgical site infection, Arthroplasty, Primary total hip