Six-week antibiotic therapy after one-stage replacement arthroplasty for hip and knee periprosthetic joint infection.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: One-stage replacement arthroplasty for treatment of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) results in similar cure rate than two-stage (around 85-92%), but antibiotic therapy duration is not well established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a short six-week antibiotic course in periprosthetic joint infections after onstage exchange. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective, observational study conducted at Orthopaedic Department of Cochin Hospital, Paris, between 1st January 2010 and 31 December 2015. Patients with a microbiologically proven PJI, treated with one-stage replacement and 6 weeks (+/1week) of antimicrobial therapy were included. Pearson's-χ2 and Wilcoxon tests were used to compare categorical and continuous variables. RESULTS: Fifty patients with periprosthetic joint infections (42 hip, 8 knee PJI) treated with one-stage replacement arthroplasty were included. Median age was 69.3 years (IQR 24.5-97.4). Infections occurred after a mean of 36 months (IQR 1-216). Bone biopsy cultures were positive for Staphylococcus spp. in 29 patients (58%), Cutibacterium acnes in 19 (38%), Gram-negative bacilli in 6 (12%). Polymicrobial infections occurred in 12 (24%). Intravenous antibiotics were administered for a median of 11 days (IQR 4-45) and 46 patients (92%) were switched to an oral therapy. Medium follow-up was of 32 months (IQR 12-101). Overall remission rate was 90%. CONCLUSIONS: A six-week course of antibiotics in knee and hip PJIs treated with one-stage RA has a satisfactory remission rate in this open study.