Socioeconomic burden of septic re-revision surgeries for periprosthetic joint infections in Europe – a comprehensive analysis of re-revision costs

Abstract. Introduction: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a major cause of failure after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). While primary PJI treatment costs are increasingly recognized, the economic burden of septic re-revision surgery remains poorly defined. This study estimated septic re-revisions and the reimbursement burden across Europe. Methods: A payor-perspective health-economic model was applied to 30 European countries, combining 2023 Eurostat arthroplasty data with published infection rates to estimate PJIs and septic re-revisions (including after aseptic revisions), categorized as DAIR (debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention), one-stage, or two-stage procedures. Reimbursement used 13-country survey data plus GDP-based extrapolation; sensitivity analyses varied key parameters by ±20 %. Results: In 2023, 2.29 million primary arthroplasties were performed in Europe, resulting in an estimated 22 794 PJIs and 8629 septic re-revisions. Total reimbursement costs were estimated at EUR 123.6 million (EUR 74.1 million THA; EUR 49.5 million TKA), split into EUR 111.6 million after primary PJI treatment and EUR 12.0 million after initially aseptic revision. Two-stage exchanges accounted for 82.8 % of expenditures and were the main cost driver; Germany had the highest national costs. A Monte Carlo probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded a 95 % credibility interval of EUR 102.0–156.2 million. Conclusion: Septic re-revision surgery after arthroplasty represents a substantial economic burden in Europe, largely driven by two-stage exchange procedures. Reducing infection and treatment failure rates may provide major clinical and financial benefits: a 25 % reduction in PJI incidence could save EUR 27.9 million annually (22.6 %), and shifting half of two-stage cases to one-stage a further EUR 22.6 million (18.3 %).