Abstract
Introduction: Hip replacement prosthesis infection is a severe complication of ever increasing incidence. Currently there is controversy as to whether prosthetic revision surgery should be carried out in one or two stages and whether cemented or uncemented prostheses should be used.
Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study of 17 cases of chronic infections of hip replacements that were revised in one-stage procedures between 1996 and 2005 in our center. Mean follow-up is 3.4 years. We analyzed the functional status of the hips before and after revision using the Merle D’Aubigne scale, x-rays, and supplementary tests for diagnosis and decisions on treatment.
Results: The functional score at the end of the follow-up was 16.17 (Merle D’Aubigne scale). The most common pathogen is coagulase-negative staphylococci. Acute phase reactive elements reached normal levels. X-ray control does not show any alterations or signs of loosening. No subsequent revisions have been performed.
Conclusions: The diagnosis and treatment of prosthetic revision requires correct preoperative assessment and planning. Differential diagnosis of aseptic versus septic loosening in chronic infections is complex; in some cases it is necessary to wait for definite culture results for a surefire diagnosis. We think that in selected chronic cases of septic loosening of the hip due no non-multi-resistant organisms, one-stage revision using a Wagner osteotomy for diaphyseal cleaning combined with a hydoxyapatite-coated stem makes it possible to achieve good functional results and control infection, decreasing the morbidity and cost of a two-stage revision.
The abstracts were prepared by E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán, Editor-in-Chief of the Spanish Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (Revista de Ortopedia y Traumatología). Correspondence should be addressed to him at: Sociedad Española de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, calle Fernández de los Ríos 108, 28015-Madrid, Spain
