Neuropathic Bladder Tied to Higher Risk for Complications After Hip Replacement

THURSDAY, Feb. 5, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Patients with neuropathic bladder (NB) undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) face significantly higher risks for postoperative complications, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Orthopaedics.

James Hwang, from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) in Dallas, and colleagues assessed how NB conditions influence outcomes after primary THA. The analysis included 193,988 adult patients undergoing primary THA (2003 to 2020) identified through the TriNetX Research Network.

The researchers found that within 30 days of surgery, patients with NB showed significantly higher rates of urinary tract infection, pneumonia, periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), deep vein thrombosis, and transfusion versus patients without NB. At 90 days post-THA, trends persisted, with the NB cohort also showing a higher risk for pulmonary embolism and acute renal failure. During a one-year period, the NB cohort faced increased risks for PJI (risk ratio, 1.8); the cohort also had a higher rate of revision arthroplasty during a five-year period (risk ratio, 2.6).

“Many NB patients don”t understand the gravity of their condition or tell their surgeons about it,” senior author Senthil Sambandam, M.D., also from UT Southwestern, said in a statement. “As surgeons, we must be more aware of bladder issues because patients with NB can require significant postoperative resources.”

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