bone, joint, and muscle disorders
Artificial Joint Infectious Arthritis
Treatment of Artificial Joint Infectious Arthritis
Replacement of the artificial joint Long-term antibiotic therapy Complete treatment of an infected artificial joint takes a long time. Usually, all or part of an infected artificial joint is removed (revision arthroplasty) and the cement, collections of pus (abscesses), and infected tissues around it are also removed. A new artificial joint is then immediately implanted, or a spacer filled with antibiotics is inserted and a new artificial joint is implanted 2 to 4 months later with antibiotic cement. People who undergo either option need long-term antibiotic therapy. Whether replaced immediately or after the months-long delay, many (although fewer than half) of the new artificial joints also become infected. If people cannot tolerate surgery, doctors may try only long-term antibiotic therapy. Sometimes the artificial joint or parts of it are removed because people have an uncontrolled infection or have lost too much bone. After this procedure, doctors may or may not fuse together the bones that form the joint. Rarely, if infection cannot be controlled any other way, the part of the limb that contains the joint must be surgically removed ( Rehabilitation After Limb Amputation ). 