Primary Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in a Safety Net Hospital: Substance Abuse and Other Factors Affecting Short-term Complications.

Background: Arthroplasty outcomes and patient risk factors have not been studied in detail in safety net hospital settings. This study examines the relationship between selected risk factors and short-term complications in such a population, including a large subgroup with treated substance abuse.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study contains 486 consecutive patients after primary hip and knee arthroplasty.