Perioperative Systemic Corticosteroids in Modern Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Primer for Clinical Practice

Abstract

» Perioperative corticosteroids are strongly recommended for reducing the incidence and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting following elective total hip or total knee arthroplasty.» Corticosteroids may reduce postoperative pain and opioid requirements. Similarly, corticosteroids appear to have a neutral-to-positive effect on length of stay, venous thromboembolism, mobility, delirium, acute kidney injury, and bone cement implantation syndrome (i.e., decreased length of stay).» Perioperative corticosteroids may induce hyperglycemia among both diabetic and nondiabetic patients; however, there is no strong evidence indicating that these transient corticosteroid-induced glycemic derangements may increase the risk of postoperative infectious complications.» The dosage and frequency of perioperative corticosteroid administration play a critical role in optimizing postoperative outcomes, with higher doses showing promise in reducing opioid consumption, postoperative pain, and length of stay.» The optimal dosage and frequency of corticosteroids remain unclear; however, the perioperative administration of 8 to 16 mg dexamethasone, or equivalent steroid, appears reasonable and safe in most cases.