Study: Preop epidural injections increase SSI risk after spinal fusion

Editor's Note

Lumbar spinal fusion performed within 3 months after lumbar epidural steroid injections was associated with a statistically significant increase in postoperative infections in this study. The association was not found when surgery was performed more than 3 months after steroid injections.

Of 88,540 patients analyzed, infection rates were:

• 3.9% in patients who had surgery 1 month after injections
• 2.2% in patients who had surgery 1 to 3 months after injections
• 1.3% in patients who had surgery 3 to 6 months after injections.

The infection rate of patients who did not receive epidural injections before surgery was 1.5%.

The results of this study provide a clear association between the timing of epidural steroid injections and the risk of infection after spinal fusion surgery, the researchers note