The role of blood cultures in the acute evaluation of postoperative fever in arthroplasty patients

Authors

David F. Bindelglass, The Joint Reconstruction Center, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, Connecticut; The Orthopaedic Specialty Group, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.Follow
Jessica Pellegrino

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

The Journal of arthroplasty

Abstract

The use of blood cultures to work up fever in postarthroplasty patients was studied retrospectively. Four hundred fifty-three patients done consecutively with a diagnosis-related group 209 discharge diagnosis were studied. One hundred patients (22%) had blood cultures drawn for fever greater than 101 degrees F. Specifically, there were 240 total knee arthroplasty patients with 40 blood cultures drawn. There were 124 total hip arthroplasty patients with 31 blood cultures drawn. One patient with a total knee arthroplasty had positive cultures as did one patient with a total hip arthroplasty. Both were thought to be contaminants, and neither had any sequelae. Blood cultures are expensive and do not add relevant information in the care of postarthroplasty patients.

First Page

701

Last Page

2

DOI

10.1016/j.arth.2006.09.007

Publication Date

8-1-2007

Recommended Citation

Bindelglass, David F. and Pellegrino, Jessica, "The role of blood cultures in the acute evaluation of postoperative fever in arthroplasty patients" (2007). All Research. 350.
https://scholar.bridgeporthospital.org/all_research/350

Identifier

17689779 (pubmed); 10.1016/j.arth.2006.09.007 (doi); S0883-5403(06)00693-0 (pii)