The health-economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in Europe: a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplasty

Aims: Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) pose significant challenges to patients and healthcare systems worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the health-economic burden of reimbursement payment in Europe for PJIs following primary hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods: The calculation...

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Main Authors: Volker Alt, Dominik Szymski, Markus Rupp, Andreas Fontalis, Danguole Vaznaisiene, Leonard C. Marais, Christof Wagner, Nike Walter, on behalf the Country Delegates of the European Bone and Joint Infection Society*
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery 2025-03-01
Series:Bone & Joint Open
Subjects:
Online Access:https://online.boneandjoint.org.uk/doi/epdf/10.1302/2633-1462.63.BJO-2024-0225.R1
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author Volker Alt
Dominik Szymski
Markus Rupp
Andreas Fontalis
Danguole Vaznaisiene
Leonard C. Marais
Christof Wagner
Nike Walter
on behalf the Country Delegates of the European Bone and Joint Infection Society*
author_facet Volker Alt
Dominik Szymski
Markus Rupp
Andreas Fontalis
Danguole Vaznaisiene
Leonard C. Marais
Christof Wagner
Nike Walter
on behalf the Country Delegates of the European Bone and Joint Infection Society*
author_sort Volker Alt
collection DOAJ
description Aims: Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) pose significant challenges to patients and healthcare systems worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the health-economic burden of reimbursement payment in Europe for PJIs following primary hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods: The calculation was based on health-economic modelling using data on primary hip and knee arthroplasties for the year 2019 from the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) and published infection rates to estimate the total number of hip and knee PJIs in 30 European countries. Revision procedures were stratified into: 1) debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR); 2) one-stage exchange; and 3) two-stage revision procedures. The cases were then multiplied by the respective healthcare system reimbursement payments. Payment data were acquired from a survey of 13 countries (Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK) and extrapolated for the remaining countries. Results: In 2019, a total of 2,048,778 primary total joint replacements were performed (total hip arthroplasty (THA) = 1,147,316 and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) = 901,462), with an estimated 20,416 cases of PJIs (11,131 hip and 9,285 knee) in Europe. This results in an estimated total reimbursement burden of €346,262,026 for European healthcare systems. The breakdown for hip PJI reimbursement was €197,230,953 (€9,751,962 for DAIR procedures, €45,135,894 for one-stage revisions, and €142,343,097 for two-stage revisions). For knee PJIs, the analysis yielded a total reimbursement of €149,031,073 (€9,335,075 for DAIR procedures, €48,058,479 for one-stage revisions, and €91,637,518 for two-stage revisions). Conclusion: This is the first study to evaluate the health-economic burden of PJIs in Europe, revealing a substantial impact on healthcare systems with an estimated case load of 20,414 cases and overall reimbursement of €346,262,026 for primary THAs and TKAs performed in 2019. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2025;6(3):298–311.
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spelling doaj-art-722ef1ec2dbf4431bd4e009b7cc122c82025-08-20T02:11:11ZengThe British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint SurgeryBone & Joint Open2633-14622025-03-016329831110.1302/2633-1462.63.BJO-2024-0225.R1The health-economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in Europe: a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplastyVolker Alt0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0208-4650Dominik Szymski1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1739-8524Markus Rupp2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7221-3783Andreas Fontalis3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5547-288XDanguole Vaznaisiene4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9114-9537Leonard C. Marais5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1120-8419Christof Wagner6Nike Walter7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0654-2076on behalf the Country Delegates of the European Bone and Joint Infection Society*Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, GermanyDivision of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, UKDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, LithuaniaOrthopaedic Surgery, University of KwaZulu-Natal Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, Durban, South AfricaCenter for Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Klinikum Ingolstadt GmbH, Ingolstadt, GermanyDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, GermanyAims: Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) pose significant challenges to patients and healthcare systems worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the health-economic burden of reimbursement payment in Europe for PJIs following primary hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods: The calculation was based on health-economic modelling using data on primary hip and knee arthroplasties for the year 2019 from the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) and published infection rates to estimate the total number of hip and knee PJIs in 30 European countries. Revision procedures were stratified into: 1) debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR); 2) one-stage exchange; and 3) two-stage revision procedures. The cases were then multiplied by the respective healthcare system reimbursement payments. Payment data were acquired from a survey of 13 countries (Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK) and extrapolated for the remaining countries. Results: In 2019, a total of 2,048,778 primary total joint replacements were performed (total hip arthroplasty (THA) = 1,147,316 and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) = 901,462), with an estimated 20,416 cases of PJIs (11,131 hip and 9,285 knee) in Europe. This results in an estimated total reimbursement burden of €346,262,026 for European healthcare systems. The breakdown for hip PJI reimbursement was €197,230,953 (€9,751,962 for DAIR procedures, €45,135,894 for one-stage revisions, and €142,343,097 for two-stage revisions). For knee PJIs, the analysis yielded a total reimbursement of €149,031,073 (€9,335,075 for DAIR procedures, €48,058,479 for one-stage revisions, and €91,637,518 for two-stage revisions). Conclusion: This is the first study to evaluate the health-economic burden of PJIs in Europe, revealing a substantial impact on healthcare systems with an estimated case load of 20,414 cases and overall reimbursement of €346,262,026 for primary THAs and TKAs performed in 2019. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2025;6(3):298–311.https://online.boneandjoint.org.uk/doi/epdf/10.1302/2633-1462.63.BJO-2024-0225.R1periprosthetic joint infectionhealth economicshipkneearthroplastyreimbursementhipknee periprosthetic joint infectionsperiprosthetic joint infection (pji)kneedebridement, antibiotics, and implant retentiontotal knee arthroplasty (tka)hip and knee arthroplastieship and knee arthroplastiesprimary total hip arthroplastiesinfections
spellingShingle Volker Alt
Dominik Szymski
Markus Rupp
Andreas Fontalis
Danguole Vaznaisiene
Leonard C. Marais
Christof Wagner
Nike Walter
on behalf the Country Delegates of the European Bone and Joint Infection Society*
The health-economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in Europe: a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplasty
Bone & Joint Open
periprosthetic joint infection
health economics
hip
knee
arthroplasty
reimbursement
hip
knee periprosthetic joint infections
periprosthetic joint infection (pji)
knee
debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention
total knee arthroplasty (tka)
hip and knee arthroplasties
hip and knee arthroplasties
primary total hip arthroplasties
infections
title The health-economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in Europe: a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplasty
title_full The health-economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in Europe: a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplasty
title_fullStr The health-economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in Europe: a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplasty
title_full_unstemmed The health-economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in Europe: a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplasty
title_short The health-economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in Europe: a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplasty
title_sort health economic burden of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infections in europe a comprehensive analysis following primary arthroplasty
topic periprosthetic joint infection
health economics
hip
knee
arthroplasty
reimbursement
hip
knee periprosthetic joint infections
periprosthetic joint infection (pji)
knee
debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention
total knee arthroplasty (tka)
hip and knee arthroplasties
hip and knee arthroplasties
primary total hip arthroplasties
infections
url https://online.boneandjoint.org.uk/doi/epdf/10.1302/2633-1462.63.BJO-2024-0225.R1
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