Failure Analysis in Multiple TKA Revisions—Periprosthetic Infections Remain Surgeons’ Nemesis

Background: The aim of this study was to categorize reasons for failure and to analyze the survivorship of multiple total knee arthroplasty (TKA) revisions. Methods: The study retrospectively evaluated all multiple TKA revisions performed between 2005 and 2015 at the authors’ institutions. Sixty-three patients (35 female, 28 male, age 64 ± 10 years, follow-up 55 ± 36 months) underwent a total of 157 re-revision TKA surgeries (range 2–5). The revision indications were divided up into main diagnoses. Survivorship was evaluated by mixed model analysis. Results: The main overall reason for re-revision was periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) (48%), followed by instability (12%), polyethylene wear (11%), malpositioning (8%), and aseptic loosening (8%). Survivorship shortened with an increasing number of revision surgeries (p = 0.003). While PJI was in 38% of all cases, the reason for the first revision, incidence increased constantly with the number of revisions (48% at second revision, 55% at third revision, 86% at fourth revision, and 100% at fifth revision, p = 0.022). If periprosthetic infection caused the first revision, patients showed an average of two more septic revisions at follow-up than patients with an aseptic first revision indication (p < 0.001). In 36% of cases, the reason for follow-up surgery in case of periprosthetic infection was again PJI. Conclusion: The probability of survival of the implanted knee arthroplasty is significantly reduced with each subsequent revision. Periprosthetic infection is the main cause of multiple revisions.

Two-stage Reimplantation in Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty by Using Resterilized Femoral and Tibial Components with a New Polyethylene Insert: Report of 4 Cases with at Least 15 Years’ Follow-up

Background. This study evaluates 15 years’ results of the implantation of autoclaved femoral and tibial prosthesis components together with a new same brand polyethylene insert which were used as a temporary articulating spacer in patients with periprosthetic infection of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in a two-stage reimplantation procedure in 6 patients. Material and methods. The femoral and tibial prostheses of 6 patients with deep chronic periprosthetic infection of TKA who underwent elective two-stage exchange arthroplasty were autoclaved and reinserted with a new polyethylene insert of the same brand and bone cement mixed with tecoplanin in 2004. Results. Four patients were followed for 15 years. They were all female and between 47-70 years old. The infectious agent was meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in 3 and coagulase negative Staphy­lococcus in one patient. Patients were invited for second stage reimplantation, but they refused to undergo the second stage. Three of them had their second stage reimplantation after 15, 13 and 10 years while one patient was reinfected after 5 years, in 2009, and arthrodesis was performed. They were all happy with the result and infection free at last follow-up. Conclusions. 1. Regarding the results of our patients, reinsertion of autoclaved femoral and tibial prostheses together with a new same brand polyethylene insert with teicoplanin loaded bone cement can be used cautiously in the management of periprosthetic deep infection of TKA. 2. That is because patients might not want the second stage reimplantation. 3. We believe that the refusal of patients to undergo the surgery shows that the single-stage treatment is effective.

Use of muscular flaps for the treatment of hip prosthetic joint infection: a systematic review

Background Deep periprosthetic infection after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a serious and challenging complication for the orthopedic surgeon. Muscular flaps may represent a valid management option for the treatment of this condition. We present a systematic literature review about the use of muscular flaps for the treatment of hip prosthetic joint infection. Methods The review is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Seventy-seven articles, out of 279 titles, were considered eligible for the full-text analysis. Finally 15 studies that met inclusion criteria were included in this review. Results Overall, 210 patients (49% males, 48.6% females and 2.4% not reported) suffering from THA infection treated with muscular flaps were collected. The mean age was 69.6 years. Mean follow-up, reported in all studies, was 3.3 years. The results presented by the different authors, highlight the effectiveness of muscular flaps for the treatment of periprosthetic infection, in terms of function, limb salvage, prevention of the recurrences, cost-effectiveness, and quality of life postoperatively. Conclusions Muscle flaps provide an excellent management option for patients with persistent infection after total hip arthroplasty.

Custom Made Implant in Revision Knee Arthroplasty with AORI 3 Bone Defect: а Case Report

Background. Replacement of extensive bone defects during revision knee arthroplasty (RKA) is a certain problem. The development of additive technologies allows us to produce an individual titanium augment to restore the lost bone tissue. The aim of the study is to show the possibility of replacing extensive tibia defects with an custom made augment during revision knee artroplasty. Case presentation. The patient is 66 years old. At the age of 58, due to secondary knee osteoarthritis in 2 years interval, the patient underwent total knee arthroplasty: left in 2012, right in 2014. Subsequently, several revision interventions were required for early periprosthetic infection of the right knee joint. From 2015 to 2018, due to the infection remission, the function of the right knee joint was satisfactory. In 2018, the patient admitted to our clinic with the periprosthetic infection relapse. Due to the previous treatment, the patient had type 3 bone defect according to the AORI classification. A two-stage revision knee arthroplasty was performed. To compensate the extensive tibial defect, the individual tibial implant was manufactured using additive technologies, and a semiconstrained endoprosthesis was implanted. There was no relapse of infection during the observation. There is deficit of active extension, there are no radiological signs of the implant instability. Conclusion. In our case, we were able to achieve satisfactory results in patient with a complex anamnesis and extensive bone defects. The use of individual implant helped to avoid arthrodesis, preserve the weight-bearing of the lower limb and articulation in the knee joint. The use of implants made using 3D technologies is a promising solution for compensating defects of types 2B and 3 according to the AORI classification.

Assessing risks of developing and persistence of infectious process in knee joint replacement

Despite of intensive work on improving endoprosthetic replacement constructions, using minimally invasive techniques, developing methods of prevention for and treatment of periprosthetic joint infection, relapse of infection process can reach up to 52 % after treatment.The aim of the study: to show the importance of identifying the risks of development and recurrence of periprosthetic infection after implantation of a knee joint endoprosthesis. A clinical case of the development of a deep periprosthetic infection in a patient after primary knee replacement and successful treatment of the resulting complication was demonstrated. The analysis of this case of an infectious complication using the proposed prognosis for the development of periprosthetic infection showed that before surgical treatment of the patient, the risk of an infectious process was not assessed, and appropriate preventive and therapeutic measures were not carried out.Materials and methods. In the treatment of developed periprosthetic infection of the knee joint, the author’s algorithm for choosing surgical tactics was used, which allowed to determine the high risk of recurrence of periprosthetic infection, evaluate additional criteria and choose the optimal type of surgical intervention – two-stage revision endoprosthetic, which allowed to stop the infectious process.New was the use of the proposed prognosis for the development of periprosthetic infection and the algorithm for choosing surgical tactics for periprosthetic infection, which make it possible to determine the necessary preventive measures to reduce the risk of an infectious complication and to apply the optimal type of surgical intervention to relieve periprosthetic knee infection.

Short-term results of treatment of staphylococcal periprosthetic hip joint infection with combined antibiotics and bacteriophages treatment

Infectious complications after primary implantation of the hip joint are 0.5–3 %, and in the case of re-endoprosthetics, the risk of periprosthetic infection can reach 30 %. Also, we should not forget about the high percentage (16–20 %) of recurrence of periprosthetic infection of the hip joint, which leads to an unsatisfactory result of treatment up to amputation of a limb or even death of the patient. The reasons for the recurrence of the infectious process can be antibiotic resistance and antibiotic tolerance of microorganisms, as well as the ability of microorganisms to form biofilms on implants. In this regard, there is a constant need to search for alternative means of antimicrobial therapy, as well as to select the optimal ways of their delivery and deposition, which is of practical importance when performing surgical interventions in traumatology and orthopedics to protect the implantable structure from possible infection of the surgical site. One of the methods currently available to combat bacterial infections acquired antibiotic resistance and antibiotic tolerance is the use of natural viruses that infect bacterial bacteriophages. The above suggests a more effective suppression of periprosthetic infection, including persisters that deviate from antibiotics. It is, as a rule, associated with biofilms if used in conjunction with antibiotics and phages, when the use of bacteriophages predetermines the effectiveness of treatment. With the use of sensitive bacteriophages in the treatment of periprosthetic infections, a significant (p = 0.030) reduction in the rate of recurrence of infection (from 31 to 4.5 %) was observed. The use of lytic bacteriophages in traumatology and orthopedics is of great interest for phagotherapy of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant and biofilm-forming strains of bacteria. A clinical study using a single-stage surgical revision with simultaneous application of antibiotics and phages in the treatment of deep periprosthesis infection of the hip joint endoprosthesis, followed by 12 months follow-up for periprosthetic infection recurrence, demonstrated the effectiveness of the use of combined antibiotic and bacteriophages treatment.

Use of PET-CT in diagnostic workup of periprosthetic infection of hip and knee joints: significance in detecting additional infectious focus

Introduction The diagnosis and management of periprosthetic knee and hip infections as well as the identification and management of possible additional infectious foci is of great importance for successful therapy. This study analyses the importance of 18F deoxyglucose PET-CT (PET-CT) in the identification of additional infectious focus and subsequent impact on management of periprosthetic infection (PPI). Material and methods A retrospective analysis of the clinical data and findings in the period from January 2008 to December 2018 was carried out. One hundred and four patients with in-hospital treatment due to PPI of a hip or knee joint were identified and included in this study. All patients underwent a standardized clinical examination and further surgical and antibiotic therapy. The reevaluation of performed PET-CTs was specifically carried out with regard to the local PPI or detection of secondary foci. Results PET-CT successfully verified the PPI in 84.2% of the patients. A total of 78 possible additional foci were detected in PET-CT in 56 (53.8%) of the examined patients. Predilection sites for possible secondary foci were joints (42.3%), pulmonary (15.4%), ear-nose-throat (15.4%), spine (11.5%), and the musculocutaneous tissues (11.5%). Fifty-four positive PET-CT findings were confirmed clinically with need of additional adequate treatment. Conclusion PET-CT is a valuable diagnostic tool to confirm periprosthetic joint infection. At the same time, the whole-body PET/CT may detect additional foci of infection with impact on subsequent treatment strategy. PET was of special value in detecting infections at distant locations far from the primary infected joint in significant number. These distant infection locations can be potential cause of a re-infection. This clearly reflects the need of their diagnosis.

The choice of a spacer at the first stage of treatment for late deep periprosthetic hip joint infection

Introduction Periprosthetic infection in hip arthroplasty is a social and economic problem. Its main reason is multidrug resistance of microorganisms. Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of the first stage in two-stage revision arthroplasty for the treatment of deep periprosthetic infection of the hip joint by improving the constructive and antibacterial features of spacers. Materials and methods The treatment results of 127 patients with late deep periprosthetic hip joint infection who underwent two-stage revision arthroplasty in the period from 2015 to 2019 were analyzed. In the first group, 42 patients were fitted with a two-component (total) spacer based on the developed antimicrobial composition of bone cement with gentamicin, antiseptics and polymer (patent RU 191236). In the second group, a two-component spacer (patent RU 174697) based on conventional bone cement with gentamicin was implanted in 43 patients; the third group of 42 patients had a preformed spacer. Results A bactericidal and antiadhesive, nontoxic composition based on bone cement with gentamicin with antiseptics poviargol, dioxidine and high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone with a prolonged action for 348 days against gentamicin-resistant staphylococci has been developed. All patients underwent the first stage of hip arthroplasty with removal of the implant and installation of a spacer. Recurrence of periprosthetic infection was observed in 1 (2.3 %) patient of the first group, in 5 (11.6 %) in the second and in 6 (14.2 %) patients of the third group. Non-infectious complications such as spacer dislocation and instability were observed in 12 cases, one case (2.3 %) in the first, 2 (4.6 %) in the second and 9 (21.4 %) in the third group. The average time from the first stage of treatment to the second stage of re-implantation was 7.5 months (range, 4–13 months). Discussion According to the literature, the introduction of new antibiotics into the bone cement with gentamicin does not increase the antimicrobial action of the spacer, especially against antibiotic-resistant isolates, and the use of a preformed spacer contributes to an increase in the number of non-infectious complications. Antiseptics with different mechanisms of action are able to act on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the polymer can prolong this effect. Conclusions Creation of two-component spacers based on bone cement with gentamicin using antiseptics with different mechanisms of action and polymer promotes long-term bactericidal action of the spacer, which leads to effective sanation of the joint area, reducing non-infectious complications.