The Changing Face of Infection, Diagnosis, and Management in the United Kingdom.

Abstract

Prosthetic joint infection is still a rare but devastating complication following total hip and knee arthroplasty. The incidence of prosthetic joint infection ranges from 2% to 4% in primary procedures as opposed to nearly 20% in revisions. The challenges that arise here include mainly diagnostic uncertainty, management in immunocompromised patients, recurrent infection, infection around a well-fixed implant, and substantial bone loss, and require careful preoperative assessment and well-defined management plans. This article summarizes recent developments in the diagnosis and management of this increasingly prevalent issue specifically focusing on outcomes following debridement, antibiotics, and implants retention and one-stage revision procedures.