Evaluation of Synovial Calprotectin by Using a Lateral Flow Test for the Diagnosis of Prosthetic Joint Infections.

The analysis of synovial fluid is a crucial step in the diagnosis of prosthetic joint infections (PJIs). Recently several studies illustrated the efficacy of synovial calprotectin in supporting the diagnosis of PJI. In this study, synovial calprotectin was analyzed by a commercial stool test to explore whether it might accurately predict PJIs. The synovial fluids of 55 patients were analyzed and calprotectin levels were compared to other synovial biomarkers of PJI. Of the 55 synovial flu-ids, 12 patients were diagnosed with PJI and 43 with an aseptic failure of the implant. Specificity, sensitivity, and AUC of calprotectin resulted in 0.944, 0.80, and 0.852 (95%CI: 0.971-1.00), respectively, with a set threshold of 529.5 µg/g. Calprotectin had a statistically relevant correlation with the synovial leucocyte counts (rs = 0.69, p < 0.001) and the percentage of synovial neutrophils (rs = 0.61, p < 0.001). From this analysis, it can be concluded that synovial calprotectin is a valuable biomarker that correlates with other established indicators of local infection, and the use of a commercial lateral flow stool test could be a cost-effective strategy delivering rapid and reliable results and supporting the diagnostic process of PJI.

The combined evaluation of fibrinogen and D-dimer levels are a helpful tool to exclude periprosthetic knee infection.

This retrospective study was undertaken to (i) define the most appropriate thresholds for serum d-dimer and fibrinogen for differentiating aseptic failure from periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and (ii) evaluate the predictive value of our d-dimer and fibrinogen threshold compared to previously proposed thresholds. This observational cohort study included consecutive patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty (TKA) revision between January 2019 and December 2020. International Consensus Meeting diagnostic criteria were used to identify patients affected by the prosthetic infection. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses assessed the predictive value of the parameters, and the areas under the curves were evaluated. We included 125 patients with a median age of 69 years (53-82) affected by painful TKA. Fifty-seven patients (47%) had PJI. Patients with PJI had higher median d-dimer, fibrinogen, ESR, and CRP when compared to patients believed to be free of PJI. The best threshold values for d-dimer and fibrinogen were 1063 ng/ml (sensitivity 0.72, specificity 0.74) and 420 mg/dl (sensitivity 0.67 and specificity 0.82), respectively. A d-dimer level >1063 ng/ml combined with a fibrinogen level >420 mg/dl had a sensitivity of 0.52, and a specificity of 0.90. We found that an increased d-dimer beyond 1063 ng/ml showed a better predictive value than the previously proposed threshold. The combined determination of d-dimer and fibrinogen displayed high specificity and should be considered an excellent tool to rule out an infection. The accuracy of the proposed cutoffs is more effective than previously reported.

Reimplantation after Periprosthetic Joint Infection: The Role of Microbiology.

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is among the most feared orthopedic complications. Critical questions are whether the infection is completely resolved before reimplantation and what the clinical significance of positive culture is at reimplantation. The aim of this study was to determine whether a correlation exits between culture results at reimplantation after spacer insertion for hip and knee PJI and treatment failure rate. The data of 84 patients who underwent two-stage exchange arthroplasty for hip or knee PJI were reviewed and the results of intraoperative culture at reimplantation were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Correlations were sought between these patterns and treatment outcome. Our data indicate no evidence for a correlation between positive culture at reimplantation and greater risk of treatment failure. Nonetheless, we noted a higher, albeit statistically not significant rate of treatment failure in patients with at least two samples testing positive. The role of microbiology at reimplantation remains unclear, but a positive culture might signal increased risk for subsequent implant failure. Further studies are needed to elucidate the implications of this finding.

Megaprostheses for the revision of infected hip arthroplasties with severe bone loss.

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic hip infections with severe proximal femoral bone loss may require the use of limb salvage techniques, but no agreement exists in literature regarding the most effective treatment. Aim of this study is to analyze the infection eradication rate and implant survival at medium-term follow-up in patients treated with megaprostheses for periprosthetic hip infections with severe bone loss. METHODS: Twenty-one consecutive patients were retrospectively reviewed at a mean 64-month follow-up (24-120). Functional and pain scores, microbiological, radiological and intraoperative findings were registered. Kaplan Meier survival analysis and log rank test were used for infection free survival and implant survival analyses. RESULTS: The infection eradication rate was 90.5%, with an infection free survival of 95.2% at 2 years (95%CI 70.7-99.3) and 89.6%(95%CI 64.3-97.3) at 5 years. Only two patients required major implant revisions for aseptic implant loosening. The most frequent complication was dislocation (38.1%). The major revision-free survival of implants was 95.2% (95%CI 70.7-99.3) at 2 years and 89.6% (95%CI 64.3-97.3) at 5 years. The overall implant survival was 83.35% (CI95% 50.7-93.94) at 2 and 5 years. Subgroup analyses (cemented versus cementless MPs, coated versus uncoated MPs) revealed no significant differences at log rank test, but its reliability was limited by the small number of patients included. CONCLUSIONS: Proximal femoral arthroplasty is useful to treat periprosthetic hip infections with severe bone loss, providing good functional results with high infection eradication rates and rare major revisions at medium-term follow-up. No conclusions can be drawn on the role of cement and coatings.

Is debridement really the best we can do for periprosthetic joint infections following total ankle replacements? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ankle periprosthetic joint infections are rising in number, but an evidence-based gold standard treatment has not been defined yet. METHODS: We made a systematic review about the operative treatment of infections following total ankle arthroplasty. Proportional meta-analysis was used to summarize effects of the surgical techniques included. Primary outcome of this study was infection eradication, followed by complications, re-interventions, amputation rates and functions. RESULTS: We included six studies(113 patients) reporting 6 types of surgical interventions, mostly irrigation and debridement (35.4%) and two-stage revisions (24.8%). No differences among all analyzed techniques were found in the infection eradication outcome as well as in the secondary outcomes. Patients receiving a permanent spacer are most likely to end up with amputation. CONCLUSIONS: Literature dealing with infections after total ankle replacement is currently composed by few low-quality articles. The overlapping of confidence intervals related to all analyzed interventions showed no superiority of either technique. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Can the Leukocyte Esterase Strip Test Predict Persistence of Periprosthetic Joint Infection at Second-Stage Reimplantation?

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the reliability of intraoperative assessment of leukocyte esterase (LE) in synovial fluid samples from patients undergoing reimplantation following implant removal and spacer insertion for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Our hypothesis was that a positive intraoperative LE test would be a better predictor of persistent infection than either serum C-reactive protein (CRP) or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or the combination of serum CRP and ESR. METHODS: The records of 76 patients who received a 2-stage exchange for PJI were retrospectively reviewed. Synovial fluid was collected for LE measurement during surgery before arthrotomy in 79 procedures. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and area under the curve (AUC) of LE, CRP, ESR, and CRP + ESR were calculated. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the LE assay were 82%, 99%, 90%, and 97%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed an LE threshold of 1.5 between the first (negative) and the second (positive) level of the ordinal variable, so that a grade starting from 1+ was accurate for a diagnosis of persistent infection (AUC 0.9044). The best thresholds for the CRP and the ESR assay were 8.25 mg/L (82% sensitivity, 84% specificity, AUC 0.8416) and 45 mm/h (55% sensitivity, 87% specificity, AUC 0.7493), respectively. CONCLUSION: The LE strip test proved a reliable tool to diagnose persistence of infection and outperformed the serum CRP and ESR assays. The strip test provides a valuable intraoperative diagnostic during second-stage revision for PJI.

A spacer infection by Candida albicans secondary to a Staphylococcus capitis prosthetic joint infection: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is one of the most feared complications following total arthroplasty surgeries. Gram-positive bacteria are the most common microorganisms implicated in PJIs, while infections mediated by fungi only account for 1% of cases. When dealing with PJIs, a two-stage revision arthroplasty is widely used. Briefly, a spacer is introduced until re-implantation of the definitive prosthesis to provide skeleton stabilization while delivering antibiotics in the site of the infection. Sometimes, antimicrobial therapy may fail, but the isolation of a second microorganism from the spacer is uncommon and even less frequent that of a yeast. CASE PRESENTATION: Here is described a case of a 75-year-old woman who underwent two-stage revision surgery of the left hip prosthesis secondary to a Staphylococcus capitis infection, whose spacer was found to be infected by Candida albicans at a later time. Briefly, the patient underwent revision surgery of the hip prosthesis for a suspected PJI. After the debridement of the infected tissue, an antibiotic-loaded spacer was implanted. The microbiological analysis of the periprosthetic tissues and the implant depicted a S. capitis infection that was treated according to the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the clinical isolate. Three months later, the patient was admitted to the emergency room due to local inflammatory signs. Synovial fluid was sent to the laboratory for culture. No evidence of S. capitis was detected, however, a yeast was identified as Candida albicans. Fifteen days later, the patient was hospitalized for the removal of the infected spacer. Microbiological cultures confirmed the results of the synovial fluid analysis. According to the susceptibility profile, the patient was treated with fluconazole (400 mg/day) for 6 months. Seven months later, the patient underwent second-stage surgery. The microbiological tests on the spacer were all negative. After 12 months of follow-up, the patient has fully recovered and no radiological signs of infection have been detected. CONCLUSIONS: Given the exceptionality of this complication, it is important to report these events to better understand the clinical outcomes after the selected therapeutic options to prevent and forestall the development of either bacterial or fungal spacer infections.

In Vitro Evaluation of Gentamicin or Vancomycin Containing Bone Graft Substitute in the Prevention of Orthopedic Implant-Related Infections.

Antibiotic-loaded bone graft substitutes are attractive clinical options and have been used for years either for prophylaxis or therapy for periprosthetic and fracture-related infections. Calcium sulfate and hydroxyapatite can be combined in an injectable and moldable bone graft substitute that provides dead space management with local release of high concentrations of antibiotics in a one-stage approach. With the aim to test preventive strategies against bone infections, a commercial hydroxyapatite/calcium sulfate bone graft substitute containing either gentamicin or vancomycin was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, harboring different resistance determinants. The prevention of bacterial colonization and biofilm development by selected microorganisms was investigated along with the capability of the eluted antibiotics to select for antibiotic resistance. The addition of antibiotics drastically affected the ability of the selected strains to adhere to the tested compound. Furthermore, both the antibiotics eluted by the bone graft substitutes were able to negatively impair the biofilm maturation of all the staphylococcal strains. As expected, P. aeruginosa was significantly affected only by the gentamicin containing bone graft substitutes. Finally, the prolonged exposure to antibiotic-containing sulfate/hydroxyapatite discs did not lead to any stable or transient adaptations in either of the tested bacterial strains. No signs of the development of antibiotic resistance were found, which confirms the safety of this strategy for the prevention of infection in orthopedic surgery.

Cost-benefit analysis of antibiofilm microbiological techniques for peri-prosthetic joint infection diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Implant-related infections, including those of peri-prosthetic joint (PJIs), osteosynthesis and other biomaterials, are biofilm-related. Pathogen identification is considered the diagnostic benchmark; however, the presence of bacterial biofilms makes pathogen detection with traditional microbiological techniques only partially effective. To improve microbiological diagnostic accuracy, some biofilm debonding techniques have been recently proposed. Aim of this health economics assessment study was to evaluate their economic impact on hospital costs. METHODS: Direct and indirect hospital costs connected with the routine introduction of sonication and dithiothreitol treatment applied to hip and knee PJIs and of tissue cultures were examined. In particular the consequences of diagnostic inaccuracy, the opportunities, costs, and risks of each technique were calculated. RESULTS: Considering an average of five samples per patient, processed separately with traditional tissue culture with or without sonication of prosthetic components, or pooled together using the MicroDTTect device (a close system for sample collection, transport and treatment with Dithiothreitol for microbial release from biofilm), the overall mean direct cost per patient was € 397 and € 393 for sonication or MicroDTTect, respectively, compared to € 308 for traditional tissue cultures. In terms of opportunity costs, MicroDTTect was the most effective technique, allowing for a 35% or 55% reduction in time required for sample treatment, compared to tissue cultures combined or not with sonication, respectively. Pooling together direct and indirect costs associated with false positive and negative results of the different diagnostic techniques, unnecessary medical treatments and possible medical claims, MicroDTTect or sonication become increasingly cost-effective when the extra-costs, generated by diagnostic inaccuracy of traditional tissue culture, took place, respectively, in 2% or 20% or more of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study specifically focused on the economic impact of the routine clinical use of microbiological antibiofilm sampling and processing techniques in orthopaedics. Although our results may suffer from a potential country and hospital bias, as the data collection process for direct and indirect costs is specific to each institution and country, this analysis highlights the potential economic advantage to hospitals associated with the routine introduction of antibiofilm techniques for microbiological diagnosis of PJI.

One-stage exchange with antibacterial hydrogel coated implants provides similar results to two-stage revision, without the coating, for the treatment of peri-prosthetic infection.

PURPOSE: Aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that a one-stage exchange procedure, performed with an antibiotic-loaded, fast-resorbable hydrogel coating, provides similar infection recurrence rate than a two-stage procedure without the coating, in patients affected by peri-prosthetic joint infection (PJI). METHODS: In this two-center case-control, study, 22 patients, treated with a one-stage procedure, using implants coated with an antibiotic-loaded hydrogel [defensive antibacterial coating (DAC)], were compared with 22 retrospective matched controls, treated with a two-stage revision procedure, without the coating. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 29.3 ± 5.0 months, two patients (9.1%) in the DAC group showed an infection recurrence, compared to three patients (13.6%) in the two-stage group. Clinical scores were similar between groups, while average hospital stay and antibiotic treatment duration were significantly reduced after one-stage, compared to two-stage (18.9 ± 2.9 versus 35.8 ± 3.4 and 23.5 ± 3.3 versus 53.7 ± 5.6 days, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although in a relatively limited series of patients, our data shows similar infection recurrence rate after one-stage exchange with DAC-coated implants, compared to two-stage revision without coating, with reduced overall hospitalization time and antibiotic treatment duration. These findings warrant further studies in the possible applications of antibacterial coating technologies to treat implant-related infections. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Economic Evaluation of Antibacterial Coatings on Healthcare Costs in First Year Following Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Antibacterial coatings (ABCs) of implants have proven safe and effective to reduce postsurgical infection, but little is known about their possible economic impact on large-scale use. This study evaluated the point of economic balance, during the first year after surgery, and the potential overall annual healthcare cost savings of 3 different antibacterial technologies applied to joint arthroplasty: a dual-antibiotic-loaded bone cement (COPAL G + C), an antibacterial hydrogel coating (DAC), and a silver coating (Agluna). METHODS: The variables included in the algorithm were average cost and number of primary joint arthroplasties; average cost per patient of the ABC; incidence of periprosthetic joint infections and expected reduction using the ABCs; average cost of infection treatment and expected number of cases. RESULTS: The point of economic balance for COPAL G + C, DAC, and Agluna in the first year after surgery was reached in patient populations with an expected postsurgical infection rate of 1.5%, 2.6%, and 19.2%, respectively. If applied on a national scale, in a moderately high-risk population of patients with a 5% expected postsurgical infection rate, COPAL G + C and DAC hydrogel would provide annual direct cost savings of approximately €48,800,000 and €43,200,000 (€1220 and €1080 per patient), respectively, while the silver coating would be associated with an economic loss of approximately €136,000,000. CONCLUSION: This economic evaluation shows that ABC technologies have the potential to decrease healthcare costs primarily by decreasing the incidence of surgical site infections, provided that the technology is used in the appropriate risk class of patients.

Fast-resorbable antibiotic-loaded hydrogel coating to reduce post-surgical infection after internal osteosynthesis: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Infection is one of the main reasons for failure of orthopedic implants. Antibacterial coatings may prevent bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, according to various preclinical studies. The aim of the present study is to report the first clinical trial on an antibiotic-loaded fast-resorbable hydrogel coating (Defensive Antibacterial Coating, DAC®) to prevent surgical site infection, in patients undergoing internal osteosynthesis for closed fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this multicenter randomized controlled prospective study, a total of 256 patients in five European orthopedic centers who were scheduled to receive osteosynthesis for a closed fracture, were randomly assigned to receive antibiotic-loaded DAC or to a control group (without coating). Pre- and postoperative assessment of laboratory tests, wound healing, clinical scores and X-rays were performed at fixed time intervals. RESULTS: Overall, 253 patients were available with a mean follow-up of 18.1 ± 4.5 months (range 12-30). On average, wound healing, clinical scores, laboratory tests and radiographic findings did not show any significant difference between the two groups. Six surgical site infections (4.6%) were observed in the control group compared to none in the treated group (P < 0.03). No local or systemic side-effects related to the DAC hydrogel product were observed and no detectable interference with bone healing was noted. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a fast-resorbable antibiotic-loaded hydrogel implant coating provides a reduced rate of post-surgical site infections after internal osteosynthesis for closed fractures, without any detectable adverse event or side-effects. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.

Does knee revision after an articulated spacer implant provide normal gait restoration?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate gait parameters in patients who underwent a revision procedure after an interval articulated spacer for septic knee prosthesis. METHODS: Ten adult subjects underwent three-dimensional computerized gait analysis 12 months after second-stage knee revision procedure. Kinematic and kinetic parameters were acquired and compared with a normal reference population. Data were also compared with those collected in a previous study, in which the same cohort of patients underwent gait analysis 8-14 weeks after spacer implantation. RESULTS: Kinematic and kinetic parameters did not show any significant difference between the affected and unaffected limb. Compared to normal reference population, patients treated with revision knee prosthesis showed a reduced mean gait velocity, step frequency, stride and step length, average knee range of motion, knee power and ground reaction forces. When comparing average data with those observed after spacer implant, no difference was observed in kinematic variables, while kinetic analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in knee power. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that 1 year after second-stage knee revision surgery, kinematic and kinetic values remain lower than those observed in a normal reference population. Only slight improvements in walking ability are shown, when analysing data in comparison with those collected after a preformed articulated knee spacer. This finding points out the long time to full functional recovery after knee revision surgery and the limited improvement of gait when compared to the one achieved at the time of spacer implant.

Does a thrombin-based topical haemostatic agent reduce blood loss and transfusion requirements after total knee revision surgery? A randomized, controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a thrombin-based topical haemostatic in reducing blood requirements after total knee replacement (TKR) revision surgery. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, controlled study was designed to evaluate the haemostatic efficacy and safety of a thrombin-based topical haemostatic (Floseal) versus standard treatment in patients receiving total knee revision arthroplasty. The decrease in haemoglobin values postsurgery and the blood units transfused were recorded. The decision to transfuse was made by a surgeon blinded to the patient's group allocation. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were enroled in the study; twenty-four patients each were randomized to the treatment and control groups, respectively. The median decrease in haemoglobin concentration on the first postoperative day was 2.2 g/dL in the treatment group and 2.7 g/dL in the control group. A significant reduction in units of blood transfused was also observed in the treatment group compared with the control group [1.1 ± 1.13 (range 0-4) vs. 1.9 ± 1.41 (range 0-5) blood units; P = 0.04]. No major treatment-related adverse events were recorded in the study. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a thrombin-based topical haemostatic reduces the need for blood transfusion in TKR revision surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A thrombin-based topical haemostatic agent can be an appropriate solution to enhance haemostasis and vessel sealing at the operative site in TKR revision surgery, in order to reduce the need for blood transfusion after surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Role for irrigation and debridement in periprosthetic infections.

Irrigation and debridement (I&D) has been described as a possible option to eradicate early postoperative periprosthetic hip and knee infections, as well as late, acute, and hematogenous ones. Still, the literature fails to uniquely assess the effectiveness of this procedure and often provides conflicting evidence. To reconcile this difference, a systematic review of the available literature from 1970 to 2013 was undertaken. Fifteen articles, for a total of 796 patients, met the inclusion criteria; the average success rate was 44.9 and 52% after a single or repeated I&D procedures, respectively, at an average of 4 years follow-up. Despite the methodological differences and the heterogeneity of the material reviewed, this study demonstrates that this procedure only attains a relatively low success rate of infection eradication, depending on when patients are selected for surgical intervention according to the timeframe of their symptoms.

Cementless modular intramedullary nail without bone-on-bone fusion as a salvage procedure in chronically infected total knee prosthesis: long-term results.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to evaluate long-term results of two-stage cementless intramedullary nailing without achieving bone-to-bone fusion for treating chronically infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Thirty-eight patients treated according to the same protocol were retrospectively evaluated for clinical, functional, laboratory and radiological outcomes. RESULTS: Spacer exchange was necessary for infection persistence in one case. At a minimum two year follow-up, 34 patients (89.5%) showed no infection recurrence; among these 34 patients, 29 (85.3%) reported no or moderate pain [visual analogue scale (VAS) ≤3]; mild to moderate handicap (Lequesne Algofunctional Index < 7.5) was observed in 18 patients (52.9%). No patient underwent revision for aseptic loosening, and no nail breakage was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Two-stage cementless intramedullary nailing without achieving bone-to-bone fusion is a viable option for treating chronically infected TKA in selected, complex cases.

Bioactive glass BAG-S53P4 for the adjunctive treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of the long bones: an in vitro and prospective clinical study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the in vitro antibacterial activity of the bioglass BAG S53P4 against multi-resistant microorganisms commonly involved in osteomyelitis and to evaluate its use in surgical adjunctive treatment of osteomyelitis. METHODS: In vitro antibacterial activity of BAG-S53P4 against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii isolates was evaluated by means of time kill curves, with colony counts performed after 24, 48 and 72 hours of incubation. In vivo evaluation was performed by prospectively studying a cohort of 27 patients with a clinically and radiologically diagnosed osteomyelitis of the long bones in an observational study. Endpoints were the absence of infection recurrence/persistence at follow-up, no need for further surgery whenever during follow-up and absence of local or systemic side effects connected with the BAG use. RESULTS: In vitro tests regarding the antibacterial activity of BAG S53P4 showed a marked bactericidal activity after 24 hrs against all the tested species. This activity continued in the subsequent 24 hrs and no growth was observed for all strains after 72 hrs. Results of the clinical study evidenced no signs of infection in 24 patients (88.9%) at the follow-up, while 2 subjects showed infection recurrence at 6 months from index operation and one more needed further surgical procedures. BAG-S53P4 was generally well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro and in vivo findings reinforce previous observations on the efficacy of BAG-S53P4 for the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of the long bones, also in the presence of multi-resistant strains and in immunocompromised hosts, without relevant side effects and without the need for locally adding antibiotics. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Deutschen Register Klinischer Studien (DRKS) unique identifier: DRKS00005332.

Value of debridement and irrigation for the treatment of peri-prosthetic infections. A systematic review.

Debridement and irrigation has been proposed as a salvage procedure for early post-operative and late acute haematogenous periprosthetic hip and knee infections, however the effective ability of this procedure to avoid recurrent infection is still debated. In this systematic review of the literature we reviewed full-text papers published from 1970 through 2011, that reported the success rate of infection eradication after debridement and irrigation with prosthesis retention for the treatment of early septic complications (within six weeks from surgery) or late acute haematogenous infections after hip or knee prosthesis. In all, 14 original articles, reporting the results of 710 patients were retrieved. The average success rate has been, respectively, 45.9% and 52% after a single or repeated debridement and irrigation procedures, at a mean follow-up of 53.3 months. The methodological limitations of this study and the heterogeneous material in the reviewed papers notwithstanding, this systematic review shows that debridement and irrigation procedure is associated with a rather poor outcome, even in a population of patients selected on the basis of symptoms' duration and patients should be adequately informed prior to undergo this salvage procedure.

Bone and joint infections in adults: a comprehensive classification proposal.

INTRODUCTION AND METHODS: Ten currently available classifications were tested for their ability to describe a continuous cohort of 300 adult patients affected by bone and joint infections. Each classification only focused, on the average, on 1.3 ± 0.4 features of a single clinical condition (osteomyelitis, implant-related infections, or septic arthritis), being able to classify 34.8 ± 24.7% of the patients, while a comprehensive classification system could describe all the patients considered in the study. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: A comprehensive classification system permits more accurate classification of bone and joint infections in adults than any single classification available and may serve for didactic, scientific, and clinical purposes.

Two-stage revision surgery with preformed spacers and cementless implants for septic hip arthritis: a prospective, non-randomized cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Outcome data on two-stage revision surgery for deep infection after septic hip arthritis are limited and inconsistent. This study presents the medium-term results of a new, standardized two-stage arthroplasty with preformed hip spacers and cementless implants in a consecutive series of adult patients with septic arthritis of the hip treated according to a same protocol. METHODS: Nineteen patients (20 hips) were enrolled in this prospective, non-randomized cohort study between 2000 and 2008. The first stage comprised femoral head resection, debridement, and insertion of a preformed, commercially available, antibiotic-loaded cement hip spacer. After eradication of infection, a cementless total hip arthroplasty was implanted in the second stage. Patients were assessed for infection recurrence, pain (visual analog scale [VAS]) and hip joint function (Harris Hip score). RESULTS: The mean time between first diagnosis of infection and revision surgery was 5.8 ± 9.0 months; the average duration of follow up was 56.6 (range, 24 - 104) months; all 20 hips were successfully converted to prosthesis an average 22 ± 5.1 weeks after spacer implantation. Reinfection after total hip joint replacement occurred in 1 patient. The mean VAS pain score improved from 48 (range, 35 - 84) pre-operatively to 18 (range, 0 - 38) prior to spacer removal and to 8 (range, 0 - 15) at the last follow-up assessment after prosthesis implantation. The average Harris Hip score improved from 27.5 before surgery to 61.8 between the two stages to 92.3 at the final follow-up assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfactory outcomes can be obtained with two-stage revision hip arthroplasty using preformed spacers and cementless implants for prosthetic hip joint infections of various etiologies.