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Removal of prior knee fixation devices does not impact rate of PJI
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Hardware removal prior to knee arthroplasty does not significantly affect rates of periprosthetic joint infection, according to German researchers.
“A single-stage procedure of primary [knee arthroplasty] KA after retrieval of fixation devices can be performed safely without an increased risk of infection,” Till O. Klatte, MD, and colleagues wrote in the study. “Possible advantages that may arise from this approach would include avoidance of a second procedure and thus an inherent economic benefit.”
At minimum 5-year follow-up, Klatte and colleagues analyzed patients who underwent a knee arthroplasty procedure after removal of the knee hardware implanted for procedures, such as high tibial osteotomy, cruciate ligament reconstruction or fracture fixation, according to the abstract. The investigators reviewed cases where surgeons used a PCL-substituting total knee arthroplasty implant in 45 patients, a rotating hinge implant in 55 patients, complete hinge knee prosthesis in 20 patients and unicondylar knee prosthesis in 4 patients.
Surgeons performed joint aspiration in 53 patients and retrieved intraoperative samples from 106 patients. They found the samples did not have any bacterial growth. One patient had a subacute periprosthetic joint infection, which occurred after 7 months.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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