Preoperative Corticosteroid Injection and Postoperative Infection Following De Quervain’s Release: A National Database Analysis

BACKGROUND: De Quervain's tenosynovitis is initially treated with analgesics, immobilization, and corticosteroid injections. Patients with symptoms refractory to corticosteroid injection may require surgical release. No prior studies have identified whether injection of corticosteroid for De Quervain's tenosynovitis leads to adverse postoperative outcomes. This study aimed to determine whether corticosteroid injections administered within 3 months prior to De Quervain's release increase the risk of postoperative surgical site infection. METHODS: We used a national administrative database to identify adult patients undergoing De Quervain's release and divided patients into two cohorts based on whether they received a corticosteroid injection for De Quervain's tenosynovitis within 90 days prior to the surgery. After propensity score matching for age, sex, US region, insurance plan, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, and history of tobacco use, rates of surgical site infection, reoperation, and wound dehiscence were assessed. RESULTS: Patients who received an injection within the 90-day period prior to surgical release did not experience a higher incidence of surgical site infections, return to the operating room for infection, or wound dehiscence. An additional sensitivity analysis assessing the risk of injection within 60 days before surgery showed no increased risk of postoperative surgical site infection. CONCLUSIONS: Injection of corticosteroids within 60 or 90 days prior to surgical release for De Quervain's tenosynovitis was not associated with increased risk of postoperative surgical site infection or return to the operating room to treat infection.