Assessment of sonication-based culture in diagnosing orthopedic implant infections: a comparative analysis with microbiological diagnostic approaches

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic advantages of microbiological culture, histopathological examination, and the management of sonication in the diagnosis of infections related to orthopedic implants and prostheses.
 Methods: The study included 21 patients suspected of orthopedic implant or prosthesis-related infections. The classification of implant and prosthesis-related infections and the choice of treatment were based on the Infectious Diseases Society of America diagnostic and treatment guidelines. During the operations, samples were taken from the implant and inflamed tissue around the implant for each patient, and these samples were evaluated using standard culture, histopathological examination, and sonication methods.
 Results: The sonication method exhibited a higher sensitivity in comparison to both tissue cultures and cultures acquired from implants and prostheses without the application of sonication (61.1% vs. 38.8% vs. 27.7%, P < 0.05, respectively). The count of isolated microorganisms was greater in the sonication method when compared to both tissue cultures and conventional cultures taken from implants and prostheses (16 vs. 10 vs. 6, P < 0.05, respectively). The sensitivity of the sonication method was found to be higher compared to conventional cultures, even among patients who had been administered preoperative antibiotics (p