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Background: Suppressive antibiotic therapy (SAT) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) maximizes reoperation-free survival. We evaluated SAT after DAIR of acutely infected primary TJA regarding: 1) adverse drug reaction (ADR)/intolerance; 2) reoperation for infection; and 3) antibiotic resistance., Methods: Patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) DAIR for acute periprosthetic joint infection at two academic medical centers from 2015 to 2020 were identified (n = 115). Data were collected on patient demographics, infecting organisms, antibiotics, ADR/intolerances, reoperations, and antibiotic resistances. Median SAT duration was 11 months. Stepwise multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify covariates significantly associated with outcomes of interest., Results: There were 11.1 and 16.3% of TKA and THA DAIR patients, respectively, who had ADR/intolerance to SAT. Patients prescribed trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (P = .0014) or combination antibiotic therapy (P = .0169) after TKA DAIR had increased risk of ADR/intolerance. There was no difference in reoperation-free survival between TKA (83.3%) and THA (65.1%) DAIR (P = .5900) at mean 2.8-year follow-up. Risk of reoperation for infection was higher among TKA Staphylococcus aureus infections (P = .0004) and lower with increased SAT duration (P < .0450). The optimal duration of SAT was nearly 2 years. No cases of antibiotic resistance developed due to SAT., Conclusions: Consider SAT after TJA DAIR due to improved reoperation-free survival and favorable safety profile. Prolonged SAT did not induce antibiotic resistance. Use trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole with caution because of the increased likelihood of ADR/intolerance., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Controversy surrounds debridement, antibiotic and implant retention (DAIR) for treatment of acute periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Data regarding DAIR's rate of infection resolution is variable with little investigation of functional outcomes., Methods: We identified 191 DAIR cases at a single institution from 2008 to 2020. Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS-JR) and Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-10 (PROMIS) scores were collected. Patient Reported Outcome Scores were obtained from 60 cases. Median follow-up (IQR) was 4.5 (2.1 to 7.6) versus 3.0 (1.2 to 5.3) years for the control group. Mean scores were compared to a cohort of uncomplicated total knee arthroplasties matched by age, body mass index, and sex using generalized linear models adjusted for follow-up duration. Kaplan-Meier survivorship curves for PJI were constructed., Results: Mean Patient Reported Outcome Scores for the DAIR cohort were 57.2 ± 19.7 for KOOS-JR, 41.6 ± 7.1 for PROMIS physical health (PH), and 46.6 ± 8.7 for PROMIS mental health (MH). Mean control group values were 65.8 ± 21.0 for KOOS-JR, 44.6 ± 8.4 for PROMIS PH, and 49.2 ± 9.2 for PROMIS MH. No difference was observed in KOOS-JR (P = .83) or PROMIS MH (P = .11). PROMIS PH was lower in the DAIR cohort compared to the control group (P = .048). Median follow-up (years) for all 191 cases was 5.9 (range, 0.5 to 13.1). Survivorship (years) without subsequent operation for infection was 84% at 1, 82% at 2, and 79% at 5., Conclusion: Knee and MH outcomes in successful DAIR procedures were similar to uncomplicated total knee arthroplasty. DAIR's success rate was 79% in treating acute PJI at 5 years., Level of Evidence: Level III., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Most data on irrigation and debridement with component retention (IDCR) as a treatment for acute periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) focuses on primary total joint arthroplasties (TJAs). However, the incidence of PJI is greater after revisions. We investigated the outcomes of IDCR with suppressive antibiotic therapy (SAT) following aseptic revision TJAs., Methods: Through our total joint registry, we identified 45 aseptic revision TJAs (33 hips, 12 knees) performed from 2000 to 2017 that were treated with IDCR for acute PJI. Acute hematogenous PJI was present in 56%. Sixty-four percent of PJIs involved Staphylococcus. All patients were treated with 4 to 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics with the intention to treat with SAT (89% received SAT). The mean age was 71 years (range, 41 to 90), with 49% being women and a mean body mass index of 30 (range, 16 to 60). The mean follow-up was 7 years (range, 2 to 15)., Results: The 5-year survivorships free from re-revision for infection and reoperation for infection were 80% and 70%, respectively. Of the 13 reoperations for infection, 46% involved the same species as the initial PJI. The 5-year survivorships free from any revision and any reoperation were 72% and 65%, respectively. The 5-year survivorship free from death was 65%., Conclusion: At 5 years following IDCR, 80% of implants were free from re-revision for infection. As the penalty for implant removal is often high in revision TJAs, IDCR with SAT is a viable option for acute infection after revision TJAs in select patients., Level of Evidence: IV., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is one of the most devastating complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and comorbidities increase the risk. We examined whether a temporal change has occurred in the demographics, especially regarding comorbidities, of patients who have PJI and were treated at our institution over a 13-year study period. In addition, we assessed the surgical methods used and the microbiology of the PJIs., Methods: Revisions (n = 384, 377 patients) due to PJI of the knee performed at our institution between 2008 and September 2021 were identified. All included PJIs fulfilled the 2013 International Consensus Meeting diagnostic criteria. The surgeries were categorized into one of the following categories: debridement, antibiotics, and retention (DAIR), 1-stage revision, and 2-stage revision. Infections were classified as early, acute hematogenous, and chronic., Results: No changes in the median age of the patients nor comorbidity burden were observed during the study period. However, the proportion of 2-stage revisions decreased remarkably from 57.6% in 2008 to 2009 to 6.3% in 2020 to 2021. A DAIR was the most used treatment strategy, but the proportion of 1-stage revisions increased the most. In 2008 to 2009, 12.1% of the revisions were 1-stage, but in 2020 to 2021, the proportion was 43.8%. The most common pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (27.8%)., Conclusion: The comorbidity burden remained at the same level with no trends. A DAIR was the most used strategy, but the proportion of 1-stage revisions rose to almost the same level. The incidence of PJI varied between the years, but remained relatively low., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Two-stage exchange arthroplasty is considered the gold standard treatment for chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). However, there is a scarcity of research investigating the major risk factors for infection recurrence and the prognosis after infection recurrence., Methods: This study included 203 patients who underwent 2-stage exchange arthroplasty between June 22, 2010 and January 24, 2017. The need of reoperation for infection-related or PJI-related mortality was considered treatment failure. Participant age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, culture results, length of hospital stay, cause of treatment failure, operative procedure, and fate were analyzed., Results: Fifty-three patients experienced treatment failure (26.1%). Mean follow-up was 63 months (range, 26-103). Based on the multivariate analyses, risk factors for treatment failure included men and positive intraoperative culture during reimplantation. Recurrent infection was most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus (32.1%, 17/53), and new microorganisms caused recurrent infection in 34 of 53 (64.2%) patients. In 44 patients who had treatment failure, debridement, antibiotic therapy, irrigation, and retention of prosthesis (DAIR) performed within 6 months of reimplantation and at <3 weeks from symptom onset resulted in a significantly higher success rate than the use of other DAIR protocols (P = .031)., Conclusion: Men and positive intraoperative culture are major risk factors for 2-stage exchange arthroplasty failure in patients who have knee PJI. Recurrent infection in these patients is usually caused by new microorganisms. DAIR within 6 months of reimplantation and at <3 weeks from symptom onset results in good outcomes in these patients., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background/methods: We retrospectively reviewed 89 patients with acute prosthetic joint infection treated with debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) or 2-DAIR. Patients had <3 weeks of symptoms and met Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria for infection. Sixty-three patients were treated with DAIR, whereas 26 patients were managed using a 2-DAIR protocol where patients underwent initial debridement, antibiotic bead placement, and subsequent return to the operating room at an average of 16.3 days for repeat debridement and modular component exchange. Patients received a 6-week course of intravenous antibiotics and 3 months of oral antibiotics for suppression. Demographics, comorbidities, implant retention rates, and complications were compared between the groups. The McPherson host type and infection type classification system were used to categorize patients in both the DAIR and 2-DAIR groups. Regression analysis was performed to control postoperative vs acute hematogenous infection, procedure, and comorbidities. The McPherson host types and infection types were not different between DAIR and 2-DAIR patients, P = .728 and P = .061, respectively., Results: There was no difference in the overall implant retention rate between DAIR and 2-DAIR (63.49% vs 69.23%, P = .605). The average days to reinfection was significantly longer for the 2-DAIR cohort compared with DAIR (271.3 vs 165.3, P = .024) in patients who failed treatment. However, when controlling for infection, microorganism, index procedure, and comorbidities, there was no difference in days to reinfection (P = .679). There were no differences in complications, 90-day readmission, or revision rates between the groups., Conclusions: A staged debridement for acute prosthetic joint infection did not improve the rates of infection control. Randomized trials are needed to define indications and potential benefits of 2-DAIR., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total knee arthroplasty remains a challenging clinical problem. This study examined variables related to the incidence and timing of PJI., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 8462 primary total knee arthroplasties performed at our institution between 2006 and 2018 for PJI. The mean follow-up is 3.7 years. Eighty-seven variables including patient-reported diagnoses, demographics, and medications were collected. Time to infection, bacterial organism, success of infection treatment, and variables associated with infection are reported., Results: PJI occurred in 105 (1.24%) cases. The incidence of infection in the first year was 0.72% and represented 58% of all infections. Multivariate Cox regression revealed males (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.85, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69-4.79) and patients with major depression or anxiety (HR = 2.11, 95% CI, 1.21-3.67) were more likely to develop an infection in the first year. After the first year, patients with a history of cellulitis (HR = 3.97, 95% CI, 1.91-8.27) and those taking antiepileptic medications (HR = 3.61, 95% CI, 1.73-7.52) were more likely to develop an infection. Culture-negative infections were more common after one year than before (23% vs 8%, P = .04). Debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention was used in 79% (48/61) of infections in the first year and 55% (24/44) after one year with success rates of 51% and 70%, respectively (P = .16)., Conclusion: The majority of infections occur during the first year after surgery. Importantly, patient variables associated with infection are different among infections that occur before and after one year. A multicenter study with a much larger number of infections may allow analysis of more time intervals after surgery., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Diagnosis and treatment of culture negative total knee arthroplasty (TKA) periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is challenging. There is debate over whether culture negative PJI confers increased risk of failure and which organisms are responsible. It is also unclear as to what factors predict conversion from culture negative to culture positivity. To address these issues, we performed an observational study to detect factors associated with transition from culture negative to culture positive TKA PJI in those patients that failed irrigation and debridement (I&D), determine the incidence of this transition, and identify those organisms that were associated with treatment failure., Methods: A multicenter observational cohort study was performed on patients with TKA PJI as defined by Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria without cultured organisms and treated with I&D. Primary outcome was failure defined as any subsequent surgical procedure. Secondary outcome included cultured organism within 2 years of initial I&D., Results: Two hundred sixteen TKA I&D procedures were performed for PJI, and 36 met inclusion criteria. The observed treatment failure rate for culture negative PJI treated with I&D was 41.67%. Of those culture negative I&Ds that failed, 53.33% became culture positive after failure. Of those that converted to culture positive, 62.5% were Staphylococcus species. The odds ratio associated with becoming culture positive following culture negative treatment failure in the setting of antibiotic administration prior to the initial I&D procedure was 0.69 (95% confidence interval 0.14-3.47, P = .65)., Conclusion: Many cases of culture negative TKA PJI treated with I&D eventually fail and become culture positive. Staphylococci are common organisms identified after culture negative PJI., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) undergoing 2-stage exchange arthroplasty may undergo an interim spacer exchange for a variety of reasons including mechanical failure of spacer or persistence of infection. The objective of this study is to understand the risk factors and outcomes of patients who undergo spacer exchange during the course of a planned 2-stage exchange arthroplasty., Methods: Our institutional database was used to identify 533 patients who underwent a 2-stage exchange arthroplasty for PJI, including 90 patients with a spacer exchange, from 2000 to 2017. A retrospective review was performed to extract relevant clinical information. Treatment outcomes included (1) progression to reimplantation and (2) treatment success as defined by a Delphi-based criterion. Both univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were performed to investigate whether spacer exchange was associated with failure. Additionally, a propensity score analysis was performed based on a 1:2 match., Results: A spacer exchange was required in 16.9%. Patients who underwent spacer exchanges had a higher body mass index (P < .001), rheumatoid arthritis (P = .018), and were more likely to have PJI caused by resistant (0.048) and polymicrobial organisms (P = .007). Patients undergoing a spacer exchange demonstrated lower survivorship and an increased risk of failure in the multivariate and propensity score matched analysis compared to patients who did not require a spacer exchange., Discussion: Despite an additional load of local antibiotics and repeat debridement, patients who underwent a spacer exchange demonstrated poor outcomes, including failure to undergo reimplantation and twice the failure rate. The findings of this study may need to be borne in mind when managing patients who require spacer exchange., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is the leading cause of early revisions after total knee arthroplasty. Debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) procedures are often the initial treatment for PJI. However, there is concern that failed DAIR undermines the future success of revision procedures. This study aims to investigate the impact of DAIR on the success of subsequent staged revisions for PJI., Methods: A multicenter retrospective review was performed over a 15-year period. Treatment success was defined as implant retention without the use of long-term suppressive antibiotics. This was compared between patients who underwent a staged revision as the first procedure for PJI (staged-only) and patients who failed DAIR before staged revision (F-DAIR). Competing risk survival analysis was performed to compare the 2 groups and considered for patient demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, organism type, body mass index, age of prosthesis, and duration of symptoms., Results: Of 291 eligible patients, 63 underwent staged revision and 228 underwent DAIR as the first procedure for PJI. Of the 228 DAIR patients, 75 failed DAIR and underwent subsequent staged revision (F-DAIR). At mean follow-up of 6.2 years, the success rate was 72% in the F-DAIR group and 81% in the staged-only group. On survival analysis, there was no significant difference in subdistribution hazard ratio comparing the probability of failure (implant retention) in the 2 treatments groups (subdistribution hazard ratio = 0.72; 95% confidence interval 0.32-1.61; P = .42)., Conclusion: This study suggested that a previously failed DAIR does not compromise the success rate of a subsequent staged revision., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study investigated the prevalence of medical comorbidities, risk factors, and treatment outcomes in patients with fungal periprosthetic joint infection (PJI)., Methods: All patients with fungal PJI treated from 1999 to 2014 were retrospectively identified at a single institution. Demographic data, comorbidity, and surgical variables were obtained from medical records. Patients were followed up for at least 2 years. PJI was diagnosed using the Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria. Treatment success was defined using the Delphi consensus criteria. Kaplan-Meier survivorship curves with 95% confidence interval were used for analysis., Results: Overall, fungal PJIs accounted for 2.4% of the PJI treated at our institution. Twenty-seven patients (93.1%) had 2 or more underlying systemic illnesses. Age and revision surgery were significant risk factors for development of fungal PJI after adjusting for confounding variables. Overall treatment success was 55.2% at 1 year and 40.5% at 5 years. When stratified by initial surgical management, treatment success was 57.1% at 1 year and 28.6% at 5 years following irrigation and debridement; 33.3% at 1 year and 5 years following 1-stage revision; and 57.9% at 1 year and 46.3% at 5 years for 2-stage exchange arthroplasty., Conclusion: Patients with fungal PJI have a high prevalence of systemic illness and poor outcome after surgical management. Irrigation and debridement and single-stage revision demonstrate poor longterm outcomes and may have no place as treatment choices for fungal PJI. Moving forward, our efforts should concentrate on optimizing the systemic status of these patients prior to 2-stage exchange arthroplasty., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Preoperative identification of patients at risk of failing surgical treatment for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is imperative to allow medical optimization and targeted prevention. The purpose of this study was to create a preoperative prognostic calculator for PJI treatment by assessing a patient's individual risk for treatment failure based on many preoperative variables., Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 1438 PJIs, treated at 2 institutions from 2000 to 2014. Minimum follow-up was 1 year. A total of 63 risk factors, including patient characteristics, microbiology data, and surgical variables were evaluated using logistic regression, in which coefficients were scaled to produce weighted scores., Results: The 10 significant risk factors for PJI treatment failure were in descending order of relative weight: irrigation and debridement (30 points), history of myocardial infarction (15 points), revision surgery (11 points), presence of sinus tract (10 points), resistant organisms (9 points), ever smoker (6 points), prior surgery (2.86 points per prior operation), synovial white blood cell count (8.3 × natural log of cell count), body mass index (0.66 per increment), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (depends on both smoking and 2 stage, as these are higher order interaction factors). The area under the curve for this risk model was 0.6904 (95% confidence interval: 0.6476-0.7331)., Conclusion: In this large cohort study, we were able to identify risk factors and their relative weight for predicting PJI treatment failure. Some of the identified factors are indeed modifiable and should be addressed before treating a patient for PJI., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There has been a debate regarding the outcomes of 2-stage revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) when debridement, antibiotics, irrigation, and implant retention (DAIR) had been carried out previously. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of prior failed DAIR (F-DAIR) on the outcomes of 2-stage revision TKA done for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI)., Methods: This is a retrospective study of a consecutive series of 184 knees that completed 2-stage revision TKA for PJI, operated by a single surgeon between January 2000 and July 2011. The cohort was divided into 2 groups: (1) with previous F-DAIR (88 knees) and (2) direct 2-stage revision (96 knees)., Results: At an average follow-up of 5.3 years, the failure rate was 23.86% (21/88 knees) in the F-DAIR group and 15.62% (15/96) in the direct 2-stage revision group. Prior F-DAIR procedure was associated with approximately twice the risk of failure compared to direct 2-stage surgery (hazards ratio 1.94, 95% confidence interval 1.01-3.714, P = .047). Excluding PJIs caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Pseudomonas from analysis revealed similar failure rates between the 2 groups. The Knee Society Clinical Score, Knee Society Functional Score, and final range of motion at final follow-up were lower in the F-DAIR group. Incidence of culture negativity and infection with resistant organisms was higher in the F-DAIR group. The rates of eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas infection were much lower in the F-DAIR group., Conclusion: A failed prior DAIR results in higher failure rates, lower functional outcome, and increased risk of wound-related complications., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Two-stage revision is the preferred treatment for prosthetic hip and knee infections in the United States. Recent studies have questioned the true success rate of this treatment. The purpose of this study is to investigate outcomes of prosthetic hip and knee infections undergoing resection arthroplasty and spacer insertion at a single institution., Methods: We identified 103 patients who underwent prosthesis resection and spacer placement for infection over a 10-year period. Twenty-three cases were excluded based on preset exclusion criteria leaving 80 cases (56 knees, 24 hips). A retrospective review was performed to examine the outcomes of these patients., Results: Following spacer placement but before reimplantation, 9 (11.25%) of the 80 joints underwent repeat debridement and spacer exchange for persistent infection. Twenty-four (30.00%) patients had a serious complication during their treatment course. Fourteen (17.50%) patients never underwent reimplantation. Of these, 10 continued with spacer retention, 2 had resection arthroplasty, and 1 each had an amputation and an arthrodesis. Of the 66 patients with successful reimplantation, 48 (72.70%) remained infection free at most recent follow-up., Conclusions: Two-stage revision does not result in the high rates of cure reported previously, when taking into account the substantial number of patients who never undergo the subsequent reimplantation surgery. Of those who underwent reimplantation in our study, many required additional spacer exchange or had complications. Surgeons and patients should consider these outcomes when discussing the treatment of prosthetic hip and knee infections., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is most commonly addressed with a 2-stage exchange procedure. The purpose of this study is to examine the natural history of patients who have undergone prosthesis removal and spacer placement and evaluate risk factors for outcomes other than reimplantation., Methods: Patients who underwent removal of an infected TKA and placement of an antibiotic spacer for PJI were identified in a Medicare database. Patients with a study outcome within 1 year were then identified: (1) in hospital mortality, (2) knee arthrodesis, (3) amputation, (4) repeat debridement procedure without reimplantation, and (5) reimplantation. Independent risk factors for these outcomes were evaluated with a multivariate logistic regression analysis., Results: A total of 18,533 patients were included. Within 1 year postoperatively, 691 patients (3.7%) died in a hospital setting, 852 patients (4.5%) underwent a knee arthrodesis, 574 patients (3.1%) underwent an amputation, 2683 patients (14.5%) underwent a repeat debridement procedure without being reimplanted, 2323 patients (12.5%) retained their spacer, and 11,420 patients (61.6%) underwent spacer removal and reimplantation within 1 year. Numerous independent patient-related risk factors for these outcomes were identified., Conclusion: A large number of patients (38.4%) do not undergo reimplantation within 1 year of prosthesis removal and spacer placement. Outcomes after prosthesis removal and antibiotic spacer placement are variable, and there are several independent risk factors for such outcomes that may be used to develop and improve existing treatment strategies for patients presenting with chronic PJI after TKA., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Periprosthetic infections caused by fungal pathogens are a rare entity, and there exist no definite guidelines according to which these infections can be successfully managed. In these situations, we wondered whether patients could be treated successfully for their fungal infections with single-stage revision., Methods: A retrospective analysis between January 2004 and October 2014 included 11 patients (4 hips and 7 knees) with chronic fungal periprosthetic joint infection who underwent single-stage revision, including aggressive soft-tissue debridement, thorough removal of infected components and cement, pouring powdered vancomycin into the medullary cavity and direct intra-articular injection of fungus-sensitive antibiotics, and a reasonable combination of antifungal agents and antibacterial medications. Recurrence of infection and clinical outcomes were evaluated. The average follow-up was 5 years (range, 2-10 years)., Results: There were 3 failures during the study period; 1 patient died during the perioperative period because of acute heart failure on the eighth postoperative day. Of the 11 patients, 7 patients had satisfactory outcomes and required no additional surgical or medical treatment for recurrence of infection. The mean postoperative Harris hip score and Hospital for Special Surgery knee score was 77 points (67-88 points; P < .05) and 78 points (73-84 points; P < .05), respectively, at the most recent assessment., Conclusion: Treatment of chronic fungal periprosthetic joint infection with single-stage revision can be fairly effective for achieving acceptable functional outcomes, which indicated that this may be a feasible alternative strategy in selected patients., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In the unsalvageable, infected total knee arthroplasty, knee arthrodesis is one treatment option with lower reported reinfection rates compared with repeated 2-stage revision and improved function compared with amputation. One possible method for reducing incidence of recurrent infection treated by arthrodesis is the use of a silver-coated implant. We report our experience of silver-coated arthrodesis nails used for managing infected revision arthroplasty. We primarily assess the rate of reinfection and rate of amputation and report functional outcome measures., Methods: Retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing knee arthrodesis with a silver-coated arthrodesis nail between 2008 and 2014. Patient-reported data were recorded prearthrodesis and postarthrodesis (Oxford Knee Score and Short Form-36) as well as evidence of recurrent of infection, subsequent surgery, and the necessity for amputation., Results: Eight patients underwent arthrodesis using the silver-coated arthrodesis nail. Mean duration of follow-up was 16 months (5-35 months). At the point of follow-up, there were no amputations, deaths, or implant revisions. One case of recurrent infection was successfully treated with washout and debridement. The mean prearthrodesis and postarthrodesis Oxford Knee Score difference was +8.9 points (P = .086) with significantly improved pain (P = .019), night pain (P = .021), and ease of standing (P = .003)., Conclusion: Arthrodesis of the knee using a silver-coated intramedullary device is successful in eradicating infection and allowing limb conservation. Where infection does recur, this can be successfully treated with implant retention. The use of a silver-coated arthrodesis nail should be considered as an alternative to amputation for patients with a multiply revised and infected total knee arthroplasty., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies have suggested that the success of 2-stage revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) may be compromised by a prior failed irrigation and debridement (I&D). The purpose of this study was to use 2 large state inpatient databases to compare the 2-stage rTKA failure rates for those patients with and without a prior I&D., Methods: This retrospective, longitudinal study used inpatient discharge data from the State Inpatient Database of 2 states (California and New York) from 2005 to 2011. A combination of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnosis and procedure codes was used to identify rTKA patients and compare failure rates for rTKA patients with and without prior I&D. The primary outcome was failure of the staged revision, which was defined as subsequent surgery due to infection within 4 years of the 2-stage rTKA., Results: Of the 750 patients who underwent 2-stage rTKA, 57 had undergone a prior I&D. In all, 126 patients failed rTKA. After 4 years, the estimated failure rate was 8.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9%-16.9%) in the group with prior I&D and 17.5% (95% CI, 14.7%-20.4%) in the group without prior I&D. After adjusting for sex, race, insurance, median household income, and comorbidities, the hazard ratio for the group with a failed I&D was 0.49 (P = .122; 95% CI, 0.20-1.20), which indicated a lower risk of failure compared to the group without prior I&D., Conclusion: These findings indicate that the failure rate of 2-stage rTKA is not increased by prior failed I&D., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)