Risk of Hepatitis C Virus Exposure in Orthopedic Surgery: Is Universal Screening Needed?

The aging baby boomer generation will soon start using tremendous orthopedic surgical resources. This group has also been identified as a group at high risk for having undiagnosed hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

We conducted a study to assess the prevalence of HCV among orthopedic surgery patients at our institution—using their demographic data to determine whether they represent a unique cohort at high risk for having undiagnosed HCV. We estimated that we operated on as many as 233 patients with undiagnosed
HCV in 2011.

A cost-effective, universal preoperative HCV screening program may reduce the risk for occupational exposure in orthopedic surgery and significantly benefit public health by bringing undiagnosed patients to treatment. A robust screening program
requires several ethical considerations. By offering routine screening to patients, orthopedic surgeons have an opportunity to maintain intraoperative safety and improve the health of the public.