Kreitz TM, Mangan J, Schroeder GD, et al. - Researchers examined the link between preoperative lumbar epidural corticosteroid injections (ESI) and infection following lumbar spine surgery, in this retrospective analysis. Participants included patients who received lumbar decompression alone or fusion procedures for radiculopathy or stenosis between 2000 and 2017 with 90 days observation. Experts grouped each cohort as no preoperative ESI, less than 30 days, 30 to 90 days, and greater than 90 days prior to surgery. Postoperative infection needing reoperation within 90 days of index procedure was assessed as the primary outcome measure. In fusion and decompression patients, the infection rate was estimated to be 1.95% and 0.98%, respectively. Findings revealed that patients with preoperative ESI undergoing fusion procedures had an elevated risk of infection, whereas no raised risk was found with decompression only. Predictors of postoperative infection included fusion, body mass index, and Charlson Comorbidity Index.