The optimal type of antibiotic spacer for the treatment of a knee periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains a topic of debate. Although the ultimate goal of an antibiotic spacer is infection control, contemporary spacer iterations, such as the use of a new femoral component (NFC), may offer unique advantages. The primary goal of this study was to compare rates of infection control and functional outcomes between contemporary spacer types. We retrospectively reviewed 96 patients who underwent removal of a total knee arthroplasty with insertion of an antibiotic spacer for knee PJI over a 14-year period at a single institution with a minimum 1-year follow-up. Three patient cohorts were defined based on spacer type: NFC (n=30), cement-on-cement (n=19), and static (n=47). There was no association between spacer type and the odds of infection clearance (
P
=.60). The NFC spacers resulted in increased knee range of motion before replantation and improved ambulatory status at 8 weeks postre-plantation, although no difference was seen at final follow-up. The use of NFC spacers may provide functional advantages over their contemporary counterparts, and the potential of NFC spacers to be used in single-stage exchange arthroplasty remains an appealing area of investigation. Future high-powered, prospective, noninferiority studies between contemporary spacer types are needed. [
Orthopedics
. 2022;45(2):109–115.]
Background: Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). A sinus tract communicating with a prosthetic joint is a major criterion defining PJI. Despite this fact, many patients presenting with a draining sinus tract undergo invasive procedures before initiation of twostage revision arthroplasty. We hypothesized that many patients undergo nondefinitive procedures to treat the sinus tract, rather than undergoing definitive treatment of infection with two-stage revision. Methods: A retrospective review of all cases of two-stage revision arthroplasty at Loyola University Medical Center between January 2004 and May 2018 was performed. Patients with infected TJA and periprosthetic sinus tract were included. Records were queried for laboratory values and prior procedures. Results: We identified 160 patients who underwent two-stage revision for infection over the 14-year period. Of the 160 patients, 25 had a documented periprosthetic sinus tract before initiation of definitive revision arthroplasty and were included. Eleven (44.0%) had one or more procedures including interventional radiology drain placement, local wound care, or formal irrigation and debridement before definitive treatment. Forty-five percent of patients that underwent nondefinitive procedures before definitive surgery had either an erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein at normal or nearnormal levels. Conclusion: Many arthroplasty patients presenting with periprosthetic sinus tracts undergo nondefinitive procedures before definitive treatment. Inherent surgical risks of these procedures can increase the overall morbidity and mortality of these patients. Further effort is needed to educate surgeons regarding management of sinus tracts after TJA.
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