Microbial Colonization of Capsular Traction Sutures in Hip Arthroscopic Surgery

Ian S Patten; Yuhang Sun; David R Maldonado; Michael S Lee; Michael B Banffy

doi:10.1177/23259671231166705

Microbial Colonization of Capsular Traction Sutures in Hip Arthroscopic Surgery

Orthop J Sports Med. 2023 May 22;11(5):23259671231166705. doi: 10.1177/23259671231166705. eCollection 2023 May.

Authors

Ian S Patten¹, Yuhang Sun¹, David R Maldonado¹, Michael S Lee², Michael B Banffy¹

Affiliations

¹ Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA.
² Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

Abstract

Background: A common practice in hip arthroscopic surgery is the utilization of capsular traction sutures that can be incorporated into the capsular repair site at the end of the procedure, potentially seeding the hip joint with colonized suture material.

Purpose: To investigate the rate of the microbial colonization of capsular traction sutures used during hip arthroscopic surgery and to identify patient-associated risk factors for this microbial colonization.

Study design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: A total of 50 consecutive patients who underwent hip arthroscopic surgery with a single surgeon were enrolled. There were 4 braided nonabsorbable sutures utilized for capsular traction during each hip arthroscopic procedure. These 4 traction sutures and 1 control suture were submitted for aerobic and nonaerobic cultures. Cultures were held for 21 days. Demographic information was collected, such as age, sex, and body mass index. All variables underwent bivariate analysis, and variables with a P value <.1 underwent further analysis in a multivariate logistic regression model.

Results: One of 200 experimental traction sutures and 1 of 50 control sutures had a positive culture. Proteus mirabilis and Citrobacter koseri were isolated in both these positive experimental and control cultures from the same patient. Age and traction time were not significantly associated with positive cultures. The rate of microbial colonization was 0.5%.

Conclusion: The rate of the microbial colonization of capsular traction sutures used in hip arthroscopic surgery was low, and no patient-associated risk factors were identified for microbial colonization. Capsular traction sutures used in hip arthroscopic surgery were not a significant potential source of microbial contamination. Based on these results, capsular traction sutures can be incorporated in capsular closure with a low risk of seeding the hip joint with microbial contaminants.

Keywords: FAI; capsular traction suture; hip arthroscopic surgery; microbial colonization.