A late-onset infection after total knee arthroplasty cured without the revision of the femoral and tibial components: A case report

Abstract

Prosthetic joint infection is a complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), which needs to eradicate the infection. Management of infected TKA includes debridement, antibiotics administration, implant retention (DAIR), one- or two-stage revision arthroplasty, arthrodesis, and amputation. Usually, DAIR or two-stage revision joint replacement surgery is needed.A case of a late-onset infection following TKA that was effectively treated with a two-stage surgery was described. The first operation included curettage of infected bone and cement and filling of the defect with antibiotic-containing cement in addition to soft tissue debridement. One month later, fresh antibiotic-containing cement was filled after the cement was removed, and a polyethylene insert was seated. The infection subsided without revision of the femoral and tibial components, and furthermore, the recurrence of the infection was eradicated in the long term. We recommend not only debridement of soft tissue but also curettage of infected bone and cement as an addition to the DAIR procedure.