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59 Low-Grade Infection After Total Knee Replacement

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The Unhappy Total Knee Replacement

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Abstract

Low-grade infection after total knee replacement (TKR) is generally caused by methicillin-sensitive staphylococci, streptococci and anaerobic cocci. Diagnosis of these low-grade infections is challenging and treatment controversial. The best management of low-grade infections following TKR is still a matter of debate and many treatment options are available. Suppressive antibiotics are reserved for the poorest of the hosts who are medically unable to receive surgery. Debridement with insert exchange could be indicated in healthy patients affected by acute infection with no implant loosening, well-functioning prosthesis and good soft tissue envelope with no fistula. Two-stage reimplantation has been reported as the most successful method of treating low-grade total knee infections, both acute and chronic. Single-stage revision may be potentially advantageous, avoiding some of the problems of two-stage revision, such as stiffness and arthrofibrosis resulting from a period with a spacer in situ, and sparing the patient a second procedure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Science for Health, University of Molise, Via Francesco De Sanctis, Campobasso, Italy

    Michele Vasso MD, Simone Cerciello MD, Alessandro Felici MD, Chiara Del Regno MD & Alfredo Schiavone Panni MD

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  1. Michele Vasso MD
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  2. Simone Cerciello MD
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  3. Alessandro Felici MD
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  4. Chiara Del Regno MD
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  5. Alfredo Schiavone Panni MD
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Correspondence to Michele Vasso MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology, Knee Surgery Unit, Kantonsspital Baselland (Bruderholz, Liestal, Laufen), Bruderholz, Switzerland

    Michael T. Hirschmann

  2. Dept. Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Hospital Brandenburg, Brandenburg/Havel, Germany

    Roland Becker

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Vasso, M., Cerciello, S., Felici, A., Del Regno, C., Panni, A.S. (2015). 59 Low-Grade Infection After Total Knee Replacement. In: Hirschmann, M., Becker, R. (eds) The Unhappy Total Knee Replacement. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08099-4_70

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08099-4_70

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-08098-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-08099-4

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