Arthroplasty infection by Priopionibacterium granulosum treated with reimplantation despite ongoing purulent-appearing fluid collection.

Abstract

We present the first case of infection in a native or prosthetic joint by Propionibacterium granulosum in which a patient developed symptoms of prosthetic hip infection 5 years after primary surgery. The patient required multiple operative debridements to eradicate the infection and was successfully reimplanted despite an ongoing purulent-appearing, although sterile, fluid collection at the time of reimplantation. There is no clinical or laboratory evidence of infection at 3 years post-reimplantation, and the patient has a well-functioning total hip arthroplasty. P granulosum is a low-virulence but highly-inflammatory organism. It seems to produce a large fluid collection that may require multiple debridements. To our knowledge, there are no reported cases of native or prosthetic joint infection from P granulosum. We present the first case here.