A protocol for staged arthroplasty to salvage infected nonunion of hip fractures.

BACKGROUND: Nonunion of hip fractures is not uncommon. Total hip arthroplasty is used to salvage cases of non union or secondary arthritis in these fractures. However, this option may not be available or may be difficult to achieve when infection has superseded the site of nonunion. The objective of this prospective study was to assess if a staged protocol of treatment yields good results in these difficult cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven consecutive patients who had deep hip infection with failed treatment of hip fractures (intracapsular in 16 cases and extracapsular in 11) were treated between June 2007 and September 2011. Twenty-six completed the planned two-stage hip arthroplasty and one case was lost after the first stage. The average age of the patients was 48.9 years (range 26-74 years) with an average follow up period of 44 months (30-72 months). Analysis was done using the paired t test where P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Infection was controlled in all cases that completed the treatment protocol with no recurrence in all cases at the latest follow up. The Harris hip score of the patients improved significantly from 29 preoperatively to 85 at the latest follow up (P < 0.0001). Two patients had hip dislocation with displacement of the trochanteric fragment while three other patients had fibrous union of the trochanter. CONCLUSIONS: Staged Arthroplasty procedure to salvage infected non-union of hip fractures is successful in eradicating infection and regaining hip function. Level of evidence IV.

Single-stage revision for periprosthetic hip infection using antibiotic loaded impaction graft.

BACKGROUND: Staged revision for periprosthetic infection of the hip is an accepted and widely used technique by many surgeons. However, single-stage exchange of the hip prosthesis remains an attractive option to others because of the advantages of reduced morbidity, shorter treatment time and hospital stay in addition to the reduced cost of treatment. HYPOTHESIS: Single-stage revision for periprosthetic hip infection can achieve excellent results if a specific protocol for patients' selection and management is followed. METHODS: 52 patients with evidence of periprosthetic infection had preoperative aspiration of the affected hip. The infecting organisms were identified in 33/52 and single-stage revision was performed. The remaining 19 patients had a 2-stage exchange arthroplasty. Patients in the single-stage revision protocol had antibiotic loaded morsellized bone graft, a cemented cup and a long cementless stem. RESULTS: At an average follow up of 6 (range 4-8) years postoperatively, only 1 case of persistent infection was found in the single-stage group - a 97% rate of eradicating infection was achieved. DISCUSSION: Single-stage exchange achieves excellent success rate in patients with periprosthetic infection when a specific protocol for patient selection and management is followed.