A periarticular analgesic injection containing a corticosteroid seems to be an effective therapy for alleviating pain and inflammation after hip arthroplasty.

A retrospective single-center cohort study was carried out to explore the pain-relieving efficacy and systemic effects of periarticular analgesic injection containing a corticosteroid in individuals undergoing unilateral, primary total hip arthroplasty.

In total, 197 hip osteoarthritis subjects (200 hips) were incorporated in the final assessment, with 113 hips in the control arm and 87 hips in the periarticular analgesic injection arm. The laboratory data and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) were examined before surgery and on postoperative days one and seven. To determine the correlations between the D-dimer level on postoperative days 7 and each outcome measure on postoperative days 1, pearson’s correlation coefficients were procured.

Compared to the control cohort, the postoperative white blood cell count was considerably elevated in the periarticular analgesic injection cohort. C-reactive protein levels, postoperative NRS, and creatine phosphokinase were remarkably lower in the periarticular analgesic injection cohort. 

The D-dimer levels were considerably lower in the periarticular analgesic injection cohort on postoperative days 7. The postsurgery alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, creatinine levels, and blood urea nitrogen were found to be within the reference ranges. The D-dimer levels on postoperative days 7 displayed a substantial negative correlation with white blood cell count on postoperative days 1 (r=-0.4652) and a substantial positive correlation with the NRS score and aspartate transaminase, creatine phosphokinase, C-reactive protein, and D-dimer levels on postoperative days 1 (r = 0.1558, 0.2353, 0.2718, 0.3545, and 0.3359, respectively).

A periarticular analgesic injection containing a corticosteroid does not seem to induce drug-stimulated kidney or hepatic impairment. Considering the declined postoperative levels of D-dimer witnessed in the periarticular analgesic injection group, the pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects of corticosteroid periarticular analgesic injection may have the potential to expedite early ambulation and lower the risk of deep venous thrombosis. 

Corticosteroid periarticular analgesic injection appears to be an effective therapy for pain and inflammation after hip arthroplasty.