The effect of epidural steroid injection during surgery on surgical site infections following lumbar fusion.

Abstract

Intraoperative epidural steroid injections (ESIs) have been suggested to limit pain following lumbar fusions. However, the frequency of resultant surgical site infections has not been fully investigated. We retrospectively followed two groups of patients; 23 patients were the control group, while the other 23 patients received, in addition to the spinal fusions, intraoperative ESI. Patients in the latter ESI/fusion treatment group had significantly increased rates of superficial and deep infections (i.e., superficial infections 17.4% and 4.3% deep infections) versus control patients (i.e., 8.6% superficial and 0% deep) undergoing fusions alone. We observed an increased risk of postoperative surgical site infections among patients who underwent intraoperative ESI in addition to their lumbar fusions.