Multiple irrigation,debridement, and retention of components in infected total knee arthroplasty

The results of 24 infected total knee arthroplasties (22 patients) that were treated by irrigation, debridement, and retention of the prosthetic components were prospectively studied. Strict criteria were used for the selection of this method of treatment. Patients had to be less than 30 days after index arthroplasty (postsurgical group) or had to have less than 30 days of knee symptoms (hematogenous group). In addition, there had to be no radiographic signs of osteitis or evidence of a loose prosthetic component. Patients had one to three irrigation and debridement procedures depending on systemic signs, knee symptoms, or the results of knee aspirations. All of the immediate postsurgical infections (10 knees) and 10 of the 14 (71%) late hematogenously infected knees retained the prosthesis without further evidence of infection at the final follow-up visit at 48 months (range, 24–140 months). This study shows that in selected circumstances, irrigation, debridement, and retention of the components can result in low morbidity with high success rates.     

Hematogenous infection after knee arthroplasty

Twenty-five hematogenously infected knee arthroplasties in 20 patients (17 with rheumatoid arthritis and 3 with arthrosis) were followed for 3 years. Staphylococcus aureus was the major infecting organism. Three patients with four arthroplasties died of sepsis. Two patients had removal of the arthroplasty, one of which resulted in an above-the-knee amputation. Four out of five arthrodeses fused. Two knees healed after early debridement and two healed without surgery. Ten knees had successful revision arthroplasty. Rheumatoid arthritis and constrained prostheses increase the risk of hematogenous infection. Any infection and especially cutaneous lesions in a patient with a knee arthroplasty should be treated vigorously.     

Hematogenous infection after knee arthroplasty

Twenty-five hematogenously infected knee arthroplasties in 20 patients (17 with rheumatoid arthritis and 3 with arthrosis) were followed for 3 years. Staphylococcus aureus was the major infecting organism. Three patients with four arthroplasties died of sepsis. Two patients had removal of the arthroplasty, one of which resulted in an above-the-knee amputation. Four out of five arthrodeses fused. Two knees healed after early debridement and two healed without surgery. Ten knees had successful revision arthroplasty.

Rheumatoid arthritis and constrained prostheses increase the risk of hematogenous infection. Any infection and especially cutaneous lesions in a patient with a knee arthroplasty should be treated vigorously.     

Results of direct exchange or debridement of the infected total knee arthroplasty

In this literature review, 30 reports provided outcome data on 37 direct exchange arthroplasties, 530 open debridements, and 23 arthroscopic debridements. The average followup was approximately 4 years, but the range was broad (range, 0.02-14 years). Infection was controlled in 33 of the 37 infected total knee arthroplasties (89.2%) treated by direct exchange arthroplasty, in only 173 of the 530 infected total knee arthroplasties (32.6%) treated by open debridement and retention of the prosthetic components, and in 12 of the 23 infected total knee arthroplasties (52.2%) treated by arthroscopic debridement. There was wide variability in associated antibiotic therapy. Factors associated with successful direct exchange included infections by gram-positive organisms, absence of sinus formation, use of antibiotic-impregnated bone cement for the new prosthesis, and 12 weeks of antibiotic therapy. Direct exchange arthroplasty failed in four of 37 knees; two were in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were taking corticosteroids. Factors associated with successful debridements included those done within 4 months of the index procedure, or in patients with less than 4 weeks of symptoms, antibiotic sensitive gram-positive organisms, well-fixed components with no radiologic evidence of osteitis, and in young healthy patients. Factors associated with the failed debridements included postoperative drainage for more than 2 weeks, sinus tracts present at the time of the debridement, a hinged prosthesis, and an immunocompromised host. Direct exchange can be successful with a sensitive organism in a healthy host with prolonged antibiotic therapy. Debridement can be successful in early infections in a healthy host.     

Periprosthetic knee sepsis. The role of irrigation and debridement

Thirty-three infected total knee arthroplasties were treated by irrigation, debridement, and intravenous antibiotics. These cases were retrospectively reviewed with an average follow-up period of 4.5 years. There were 12 revisions and 21 primary arthroplasties in the series. Thirty-two knees were openly irrigated and debrided, and one was arthroscopically treated. In 20 of 33 knees, infection recurred--a reinfection rate of 61%. The authors attempted to identify factors influencing success and failure of infection eradication. There was a statistically significant improvement in the success rate of knees irrigated and debrided within four weeks of index surgery (p less than .05). No statistically significant correlation was found between success and failure with regard to gender, age, preoperative diagnosis, previous surgery, length of intravenous antibiotics, or time from clinical symptoms to debridement. The authors believe that irrigation and debridement have a role in the immediate postoperative period. Caution should be used in periprosthetic knee infection appearing greater than four weeks from index surgery.     

Effect of time of onset and depth of infection on the outcome of total knee arthroplasty infections

The treatment results of 24 infected total knee arthroplasties with a minimum follow-up period of two years are presented. The most common pathogens were coagulase-positive staphylococci (50%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (29.2%), and enterococci (12.5%). Eleven patients with early postoperative infections (occurring within one month of prosthesis implantation) were treated with debridement, retention of the prosthesis, and intravenous antibiotics. Treatment was successful in all five patients with superficial infections not extending into the joint. In six patients with deep infections, treatment was successful in only two (33%), despite a longer course of antibiotic therapy (four to six weeks) and the use of tobramycin-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate beads. Three patients continued to have recurrent drainage, and one patient was subsequently successfully treated with a delayed exchange arthroplasty. Thirteen patients were diagnosed with late infections. One patient with a late, superficial infection and another with an acute (hematogenous seeding), deep infection were successfully managed with debridement and intravenous antibiotics. Prosthesis removal was not required. Eleven patients presented with late, deep infections. Of three patients who were treated without removal of the prosthesis, infection was arrested in only one. The remaining eight patients were treated with debridement, intravenous antibiotics, tobramycin-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate beads, and delayed exchange arthroplasty. The median interval to reimplantation was eight weeks (range, seven to 25 weeks). Treatment was successful in six cases (75%). The overall success rate in the treatment of total knee arthroplasty infections was 71%. In 19 patients with deep infections, treatment success was seen in 78% of patients treated with delayed exchange arthroplasty, but this value was only 40% in patients who were not treated with prosthesis removal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Infection after shoulder arthroplasty

Between 1972 and 1994, 2279 patients underwent primary shoulder arthroplasty (2512 shoulders) and 194 patients underwent revision shoulder arthroplasty (222 shoulders) at the authors' institution. Of these, 18 patients with primary shoulder arthroplasties (19 shoulders) and seven patients with revision shoulder arthroplasties (seven shoulders) were diagnosed with deep periprosthetic infection. Additionally, during this period, seven patients (seven shoulders) with primary shoulder arthroplasties and one patient (one shoulder) with a previously revised shoulder arthroplasty were referred to the authors' institution for treatment of deep periprosthetic infection. Two patients (two shoulders) were excluded because of incomplete medical records and with component removal performed elsewhere. The average time from arthroplasty to the diagnosis of infection was 3.5 years (range, 0-14.8 years). The patients were divided into four groups on the basis of treatment. Group I comprised 20 patients (21 shoulders) who underwent resection arthroplasty. Six of the 21 shoulders had additional episodes of infection. Group II comprised six patients (six shoulders) who underwent debridement and prosthetic retention. Three of the six shoulders failed this treatment with subsequent reinfection and underwent a resection arthroplasty. Group III comprised two patients (two shoulders) who had removal of the prosthesis, debridement, and immediate reimplantation. One patient underwent resection arthroplasty 9 months after direct exchange because of reinfection. Group IV comprised three patients (three shoulders) who had removal of the prosthesis, debridement, and delayed reimplantation. Reinfection has not occurred in any of these patients. At final followup, patients with a prosthesis in situ had better pain relief and shoulder function than patients treated with resection arthroplasty. Delayed reimplantation may offer the best hope for pain relief, eradication of infection, and maintenance of shoulder function.     

The results of articulating spacer technique for infected total knee arthroplasty

In 19 patients with infected total knee arthroplasties, 21 knees were treated with debridement, component removal, and insertion of articulating spacer followed by second-stage total knee arthroplasty revision. A modified V-Y quadricepsplasty was to obtain adequate exposure in 6 cases. Average length of follow-up was 52.2 months. The mean knee score with the articulating spacer was 60.5 points. The mean knee score after revision was 80.6, with good--to--excellent results achieved for 80.9% of the knees. The average range of motion was 85 degrees for the knees with articulating spacer and 97.6 degrees after reimplantation. There was one recurrence of infection at the final follow-up. We conclude that the articulating spacer can improve knee mobility and function during the interval between stages without incurring additional risk of infection.     

Arthroscopic irrigation and debridement of infected total knee arthroplasty: report of two cases

Various methods have been described for the treatment of the acutely infected total knee arthroplasty. These include antibiotic suppression, open debridement and irrigation, exchange arthroplasty, resection arthroplasty, arthrodesis, and amputation. A method not frequently reported is arthroscopic irrigation and debridement. Two cases of acutely infected total knee arthroplasty treated with arthroscopic irrigation and debridement are presented. In both cases there was a benign postoperative course averaging five months. Both infections were secondary to hematogenous seeding from a distant focus of infection. The patients presented within approximately 12 h after the onset of knee symptoms and were taken for arthroscopic irrigation and debridement within 12 h after presentation. Gram-positive organisms sensitive to the antibiotics being used were cultured in both. Postoperative knee function and range of motion returned rapidly and disability was minimal. At average 30-month follow-up both patients were pain free, had full activity of daily living, and had no clinical or radiographic evidence of infection. Arthroscopic irrigation and debridement appears to be an effective method of treatment in select cases of infected total knee arthroplasty.     

Treatment of infected knee arthroplasty

Forty-eight patients with 51 infected knee arthroplasties were treated at the authors' institution between 1973 and 1986 and followed for 5.5 (range, 0-14) years. Six methods to treat the infections were employed: antibiotics only, soft-tissue surgery, removal of the prosthesis, revision arthroplasty, arthrodesis, and amputation. Failure of the initial surgical treatment led to second revision surgery in 20 patients. At the follow-up examination, three patients (five knees) had died from septic complications and two patients had had above-knee amputation. Two of 32 patients had been successfully treated with antibiotics with no additional surgery. Four patients had successful soft-tissue surgery. Following removal of the prosthesis, the infection healed in four patients. In 12 of 19 patients (13 knees) with revision arthroplasty the infection healed, but only seven of these had functioning prostheses. The infection healed in all but one of the 21 patients with arthrodeses, and all but two were fused. Infected compartmental prostheses with good bone stock can be treated with an exchange arthroplasty using a two-stage procedure with tricompartmental revision prostheses. Otherwise, an arthrodesis using a two-stage procedure is recommended for the treatment of infected knee arthroplasty.     

Infected total knee arthroplasty treated by arthroscopic irrigation and débridement

Sixteen patients with infected total knee arthroplasties (4 postoperative and 12 late hematogenous) were treated by arthroscopic irrigation and débridement. All patients had < or = 7 days of knee symptoms, and there were no radiographic signs of osteitis or prosthetic loosening. Six of the 16 original total knee arthroplasties (38%) did not need prosthesis removal at a mean follow-up of 64 months (range, 36-151 months). Ten other knees were treated with irrigation, débridement, and hardware removal within 7 weeks of the latest procedure used to try to retain components. Two (13%) of these cases ultimately required an arthrodesis for persistent infection. Although we still believe that this method is preferable to resorting immediately to implant removal for acute infections, arthroscopic débridement was less efficacious for most situations when compared with open treatment. We would use arthroscopic irrigation and débridement only under selected circumstances (medically unstable or anticoagulated patients).     

人工全膝关节置换术后感染的治疗

目的：探讨人工全膝关节置换术后感染的治疗方法及效果。方法：6例TKA术后感染患者。感染发生时间为TKA术后1个月－11年,2例为早期感染,4例迟发性感染,平均4年2月。其中骨关节炎4例,类风湿性关节炎2例。单纯清创、抗感染治疗3例;清创、一期假体再置术1例;清创、二期假体再置换术1例;关节融合术1例。结果：在3例单纯清创、抗感染治疗中,1例经5次清创后痊愈,1例2次清创后感染未控制,改行关节融合术,1例3次清创,感染未愈;2例关节再置换术病例痊愈,功能恢复满意;2例关节融合术后痊愈。所有病例平均随访4年,除1例失去随访外,其余感染均未复发。结论：对全膝关节置换术后感染可行的治疗包括：单纯清创、抗感染治疗;清创、一期或二期假体再置换术;关节融合术等方法。每种方法都有其适应证,应根据患者的具体病情采用合适的治疗方法。     

Deep sepsis following total knee arthroplasty. Ten-year experience at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center

Between September 1971 and May 1982, at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center, 821 total knee arthroplasties were performed in 604 patients, all of whom received perioperative antibiotics. Deep sepsis, proved by a positive culture of a specimen obtained by postoperative arthrocentesis, developed fourteen times in thirteen knees of twelve patients, an incidence of 1.71 per cent. In one of these patients, who had systemic lupus erythematosus and bilateral knee replacement, the right knee became infected with two distinct organisms on two different occasions (separated by ten months). The first infection was probably hematogenous while the second, developing after a dental procedure, definitely was. Over-all, five infections were hematogenous with an identified source and one other was suspected of having a hematogenous origin. The time from operation to the diagnosis of sepsis averaged 8.3 months over-all, but five of the fourteen infections were recognized less than two months after arthroplasty. For the six infections that were assumed to be hematogenous, the time from operation to the diagnosis of sepsis averaged 16.4 months. The major presenting symptom was pain in thirteen of the fourteen infections. The initial treatments of the fourteen infections consisted of intravenous antibiotics in all of them, primary removal of the prosthesis and so-called exchange arthroplasty after five days in one, removal of the prosthesis and fusion in one, arthrotomy and débridement in six, arthroscopic irrigation in three, and antibiotics alone in three (of which one was treated with an exchange arthroplasty after three weeks). At last follow-up, only four of the thirteen prostheses had been salvaged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

全髋及全膝置换术后感染的治疗概论

To discuss the management of infections around total knee and hip arthroplasties.Methods and Results:We present the results of our management of 521 patients with infection around total hip arthroplasty and 262 with infected total knee arthroplasty between 1970 and 2001.131 of the hips and 94 of the knees were managed conservatively.Nine total knees and 11 total hips with infection were managed by soft tissue debridement and irrigation without removing the arthroplasty.Two of the knees and 3 of the hips were well cured of their infection while 5 from each group had a fair result.Seventeen patients had their knee arthroplasties exchanged in one stage.Nine were confirmed infected,4 were well cured.Fifty were revised in two stages of whom 37 were well cleared.Fort three had hip revision in one stage for infection,of whom 31 were well healed and 198 were revised in two stages with 128 well cured.Seventy-seven of the total knees were managed by arthrodesis.One hundred and froty-two patients were managed with an excision arthrophasty of the hip.Seventy one were cured at first attempt and another 18 after two attempts.Eight patients required limb ablation.Five of these above the knee and three through the hip .four patients died in this series(3 hip and 1 knee arthroplasty),Three had serious vascular complications(2 hip and 1 knee arthroplasty).Conclusion:Low grade musculo skeletal infection presents little or no threat to health,let alone life in the majority of cases,A single operation has some obvious advantages,The costs are halved and the period of hospitalisation or recumbency is halved for knees and reduced to one third for hips.The less ovious advantages of one stage exchanges of knees are the greatly reduced incidence of wound morbidity and in both hips and knees there is a lower incidence of thrombo-embolic disease-a potentially fatal complication.Naturally post-operative rehabilitation will be expedited.The most important advantage of a two stage programme is better chance of curing infection.It may take longer to rehabilitate after a two stage programme but at the end of the day there is little difference in the final level of pain and function between one and two stage exchanges of hips and knees.Among the advantages of a two stage propramme is the fact that one has not burnt one‘s bridges because if the operation fails to bring the infection under control one can either repeat the debridement or switch to arthrodesis in the case of a failed knee arthroplasty or leave the hip as an excision arthroplasty.     

Infected total knee arthroplasty. A protocol for management

All cases of deep wound infection following total knee arthroplasty presented to the senior author between April 1977 and February 1984 were reviewed in an attempt to develop a protocol for salvaging a functional, painless knee. Two of 23 knees were eliminated because of extensive soft tissue loss. The remaining 21 infected total knee arthroplasties were analyzed. A determination of the chronicity of the infection and an evaluation of any radiolucencies were essential in determining the type of treatment used. Three distinct methods of surgical management were identified: radical debridement with retention of the initial prosthesis, one-stage reimplantation, and two-stage reimplantation. A functional uninfected total knee arthroplasty was salvaged in 18 of 21 patients, with an average follow-up period of 46 months.     

Implant salvage in infected total knee arthroplasty

In a retrospective study of 60 infected total knee arthroplasties (TKAs), attempted implant salvage of 39 knees was performed with surgical debridement and antibiotic therapy. In seven of the 39 knees (17.9%), infection was successfully eradicated, with a mean follow-up examination of 4.1 years. In comparing knees with successful salvage to those with persistent infection, the following factors strongly correlated with successful salvage: (1) short duration of symptoms of infection (less than 2 weeks); (2) susceptible gram-positive organism (Streptococcus or Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus); (3) absence of prolonged postoperative drainage or the development of a sinus tract; and (4) no prosthetic loosening or roentgenographic evidence of infection. Only five knees in this series satisfied all these criteria, and in each case, implant salvage with eradication of infection and maintenance of good knee function was achieved. Although a higher salvage rate was obtained with the less-constrained prostheses, an infected hinge prosthesis did not preclude successful implant salvage. No patient with a draining sinus tract (0/17), infection with a virulent organism (0/9), or earlier revision arthroplasty (0/9) had successful salvage of the infected implant. Of the 22 knees with postoperative drainage for longer than two weeks or failure of primary wound healing at the time of TKA, only two were successfully salvaged and both required a local muscle flap. Therefore, early aggressive management of persistently draining wounds after TKA is imperative. In TKA complicated by infection, implant salvage with aggressive surgical debridement and antibiotic therapy should be strongly considered, provided that these strict criteria for attempted salvage are adhered.     

Results of infected total knee arthroplasty treated with arthroscopic debridement and continuous antibiotic irrigation system

Background:

Arthroscopic debridement with continuous irrigation system was used with success in treating infective arthritis. We evaluated the effectiveness of arthroscopic debridement coupled with antibiotic continuous irrigation system in acute presentation of late infected total knee arthroplasty.

Materials and Methods:

We performed a retrospective review of medical record of patients with acute presentation of late infected total knee arthroplasty who were treated by arthroscopic debridement coupled with continuous postoperative antibiotic irrigation system.

Results:

Seventeen patients were included in our study. 15 (88%) patients preserved their total knee prosthesis at mean of followup of 27.5 months (range, 14-28 months). Two (12%) patients failed arthroscopic protocol and finally needed two stages revision. Our study showed an 88% prosthesis retention rate in patients with acute presentation of late prosthetic knee infection. No complication was associated with use of antibiotic irrigation system.

Conclusion:

Arthroscopic debridement combined with continuous antibiotic irrigation and suction is an effective treatment for patients with acute presentation of late infected total knee arthroplasty.     

Evaluation of preoperative cultures before second-stage reimplantation of a total knee prosthesis complicated by infection. A comparison-group study

BACKGROUND: Two-stage reimplantation has proven to be highly successful in the treatment of patients with infection at the site of a total knee arthroplasty. However, up to 20 percent of patients have a recurrence of infection following this treatment. The purpose of our study was to determine whether aspiration of the affected joint and culture of the specimen, performed before reimplantation and after discontinuation of antibiotic therapy, would help to identify patients who might have a recurrent infection. METHODS: We prospectively followed sixty-nine patients who were treated for a culture-proven deep infection at the site of a total knee arthroplasty. Group I consisted of thirty-five patients who were treated with removal of the prosthetic components and irrigation and debridement of the joint, followed by six weeks of antibiotic therapy and reimplantation of a prosthesis. Group II was composed of thirty-four patients who were treated with removal of the components and irrigation and debridement of the joint, six weeks of antibiotic therapy, and then repeat culture four weeks after the antibiotic course had ended. If the culture was negative, the patient was managed with a second-stage reimplantation of a prosthesis. If the culture was positive, the protocol was repeated, beginning with irrigation and debridement. The two groups were similar with regard to male-to-female ratio, age, preoperative Knee Society scores, time since primary surgery, types of infectious organisms, duration of symptoms, duration of follow-up, and number of previous revisions. All of the patients were evaluated clinically with use of the objective scoring system of the Knee Society and were followed with serial radiographs. Success was defined as no infection and a functional prosthesis, with a Knee Society score of at least 75 points at the last (thirty-six-month-minimum) follow-up evaluation. RESULTS: Of the thirty-five patients in Group I, five (14 percent) had recurrence of infection. One of the patients was managed with a successful second-stage revision, three were managed with arthrodesis of the knee, and one continued with chronic antibiotic suppressive treatment. Of the thirty-four patients in Group II, three (9 percent) had a positive culture after the course of antibiotics. The protocol was repeated for all three, and they subsequently had a successful second revision. One other patient (3 percent) in Group II, who had a negative culture, had a recurrent infection and was eventually managed with arthrodesis of the knee. CONCLUSIONS: Prerevision cultures, grown after discontinuation of antibiotic treatment and before reimplantation of the components, helped to identify the patients with infection at the site of a total knee arthroplasty in whom the infection might recur. The performance of aspiration and cultures resulted in a substantial improvement in the clinical outcome.     

Results of 2-stage reimplantation for infected total knee arthroplasty

Optimum treatment of the infected total knee arthroplasty has not been clearly established. To clarify the efficacy of two-stage reimplantation, experience with 66 infected total knee arthroplasties in 64 patients who had been treated with 2-stage reimplantation total knee arthroplasty between September 1980 and October 1993 was reviewed. Of these, 55 knees in 54 patients were available for follow-up examinations at an average of 61.9 months (range, 28–146 months). The initial diagnoses were rheumatoid arthritis (14 knees) and osteoarthritis (41 knees). Reimplantation was successful in 80.0% of knees with low-virulence organisms (coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Streptococcus), 71.4% with polymicrobial organisms, and 66.7% with high-virulence organisms (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Reimplantation was successful in 82% of patients with osteoarthritis and in 54% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (P = .024). The success rate was 92% if infection occurred after primary arthroplasty but only 41% if after multiple previous knee operations (arthroscopy, osteotomy, or revision total knee arthroplasty) (P < .001).     

Management strategies for complex wounds following total knee arthroplasty

Complex wounds following total knee arthroplasty can result in loss of the prosthesis or limb. We report our experience with 32 patients (33 knees) with complex wounds following total knee arthroplasty. Wound assessment includes size, location, depth, presence of infection, quality of tissue, and exposure of bone or prosthetic components. Management options include debridement and closure, local wound care, skin graft, fasciocutaneous flap, local muscle flap, and free tissue transfer. Postoperative outcome is based on complications and clinical evaluation using the Knee Society Score. Successful salvage of the total knee prosthesis was obtained in 28 of 33 knees (85%). Secondary procedures were necessary in ten knees and consisted of soft tissue revision in six knees, removal of prosthetic components in three knees, and both soft tissue revision and removal of prosthetic components in one knee. Our algorithm for management includes early plastic surgery consultation, control of infection, aggressive debridement, and early soft tissue coverage. Received: 25 May 1999 / Accepted: 13 July 1999