Infection following foot and ankle surgery : a subanalysis of data captured from the UK Foot and Ankle Thromboembolism (FATE) audit.

AIMS: The UK Foot and Ankle Thromboembolism (UK-FATE) Collaborative evaluated incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in foot and ankle surgery and Achilles tendon (AT) rupture. As part of the data collection, infection within 90 days was a secondary outcome. This study aimed to evaluate overall rate of superficial and deep infection following foot and ankle surgery in trauma, elective, and acute diabetic surgery.

METHODS: Data were collected prospectively across 68 centres in the UK for all patients who underwent foot and ankle surgery between 1 June and 30 November 2022. Over 500,000 data points were collected, including development of superficial and deep infection within 90 days of procedure and presence of comorbidities.

RESULTS: UK-FATE captured 90-day infection data for a total of 9,723 cases. When nonoperatively managed AT ruptures were excluded, infection data were available for 9,591 trauma, elective, and acute diabetic procedures. Overall superficial and deep infection rates in all procedures were 4.1% (n = 397/9,591) and 1.4% (n = 133/9,591), respectively. Both superficial (7.4% (n = 29); p < 0.001) and deep infection (8.7% (n = 34); p < 0.001) rates were highest in acute diabetic procedures. Deep infection differed between trauma (1.4% (n = 65/4,351)) and elective (0.7% (n = 34/4,785)) procedures (p < 0.001), but superficial infection rates were similar (3.9% (n = 171/4,245) and 4.1% (n = 197/4,588), respectively (p = 0.638)). On multivariate regression analysis, peripheral vascular disease (OR (odds ratio) 2.86 (95% CI 1.74 to 4.56); p < 0.001), smoking (OR 1.54 (95% CI 1.18 to 2.00); p = 0.001), diabetes (OR 1.83 (95% CI 1.35 to 2.44); p < 0.001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grade III to IV (OR 1.94 (95% CI 1.37 to 2.73); p < 0.001), and chemical VTE prophylaxis (OR 1.38 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.85); p = 0.031) were independent predictors for developing infection.

CONCLUSION: Rates of superficial and deep infection were significantly higher in patients with acute diabetic surgery. Deep infection rates were higher in trauma than in elective surgery, but superficial infection rates were similar. Comorbidities and smoking affected infection rate in foot and ankle surgery, and should be optimized preoperatively and considered in postoperative monitoring.