Periprosthetic knee infection: treatment options

Abstract

Infection is one of the most catastrophic complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and represents the second most common cause of TKA failure. Treatment of a patient with periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) could require often costly and prolonged hospital stays, weeks or months of antibiotic therapy, and multiple surgical procedures. The best management is still highly debating, whereas many treatment options are available. These include suppressive antibiotics, arthroscopic irrigation and debridement, open debridement with insert exchange, single-stage reimplantation and two-stage reimplantation. The choice of the treatment depends on many variables, including integrity of implant, timing of the infection, host factors (age, health, immunologic status), virulence of the infecting organism and wishes of the patient. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive understaning of the different options for knee PJIs.