What are the complications of corticosteroid use in musculoskeletal procedures?
Complications of corticosteroid injection for musculoskeletal procedures include: septic arthritis, postinjection flare, local tissue atrophy, hypopigmentation/fat necrosis, tendon rupture, cartilage damage, facial flushing, and increased serum glucose levels. The most dreaded complication after a joint injection is septic arthritis. With the practice of good sterile technique, the incidence of septic arthritis is very low (0.01% to 0.03%). The most common complication after corticosteroid injection is a postinjection flare, which is secondary to a transient, local increase in inflammation that may begin 2 to 3 hours postprocedure and last for several days.
