Infection News

Compared with previous studies, results published in The Journal of Arthroplasty showed patients with multiple prosthetic joints had a lower risk of developing a subsequent periprosthetic joint infection, with bacteremia at the time of PJI identified as an important factor for developing subsequent periprosthetic joint infection.

A Colorado hospital has warned patients they may have been exposed to serious infections through improperly sterilized surgical instruments, according to state health officials.

NEW ORLEANS — At the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Richard Iorio, MD, spoke about a study that evaluated the use of an infection prevention protocol that involved vancomycin powder and a dilute povidone iodine solution in high-risk patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty.

NEW ORLEANS— At the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Pablo G. Castañeda, MD, discussed a study that compared 30-day outcomes of patients who underwent periacetabular osteotomy vs. total hip replacement.

Pathogen identification remains a challenge and culture methods have limitations. Novel molecular methods have become clinically available. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry — MALDI-TOF — is a new technology for rapid and cost-effective identification of microorganisms, including those implicated in periprosthetic joint infection. Current methods for identification of pathogens rely upon costly and time-consuming culture techniques. MALDI-TOF exploits the proteome of microorganisms for pathogen recognition. It is efficient for implementation at the large institution-level and can precisely classify microorganisms down to the strain.

A 70-year-old right-hand-dominant man presented to the orthopedic clinic with 3 months of worsening left shoulder pain after having undergone total shoulder arthroplasty for primary glenohumeral arthritis 1.5 years earlier at an outside hospital. The patient denied any history of trauma but noted new areas of redness and skin discoloration over his left shoulder. He denied any systemic signs of illness including fevers, chills or night sweats, but did note increasing difficulty with range of motion secondary to pain. The patient attempted 3 months to 6 months of organized physical therapy, but experienced worsening disability and pain with his activities of daily living. The patient was a non-smoker with no significant medical history. On exam, the patient’s left shoulder showed a well-healed deltopectoral incision with small areas of blotchy erythema surrounding the incision. Range of motion (ROM) was 90° forward elevation (FE), 45° external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) to S1. The motor exam demonstrated weakness in FE and IR, but neurologic examination was normal.

NEW ORLEANS — Antibiotic pretreatment in pediatric patients with hematogenous infections did not reduce surgical culture yield, according to results presented here.

NEW ORLEANS — Patients who receive a low dose of gentamicin for type 3 open fracture prophylaxis showed kidney dysfunction and other symptoms associated with kidney dysfunction, according to data presented here.

NEW ORLEANS —  The risk of limb loss in patients with compromised soft tissue envelopes after total knee arthroplasty decreased with early, proactive soft tissue management and plastic surgery reconstruction, according to a presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

NEW ORLEANS — Patients who returned to the operating room within 90 days after primary total hip arthroplasty had a significantly higher risk for subsequent wound-related complications, according to results presented here.