A wound index for hip and knee arthroplasty outcomes: a pilot investigation

Background: Post-arthroplasty infections pose a challenge in surgery, often necessitating pro-longed antibiotic treatment, implant failure, and revision surgery. To optimize patient outcomes and resource allocation, the present study aimed at test whether the implementation of the ASEPSIS score (i.e., a prognostic indicator based on postoperative variables) would emerge as an effective index to foresee future post-arthroplasty infections and to guide targeted interventions. Methods: We conducted an evaluation of hip and knee replacement patients' progress during their hospital stay, utilizing the ASEPSIS score. Subsequently, we conducted telephone interviews to evaluate the outcomes of their surgical wounds. Results: A robust correlation was observed between this score and the incidence of post-operative infections. Notably, individuals with a lower score exhibited a reduced likelihood of infection, whereas those identified as high-risk were more predisposed to develop infections within 90 days of surgery. Conclusions: While these findings are preliminary, they demonstrate significant promise. As we progress with subsequent studies, employing the validated assessment method from this pilot study, we anticipate further validation of the ASEPSIS score and its potential integration into standard clinical practice.