Abstract

The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate patients with infected total knee prosthesis and to discuss the results in the light of the relevant literature. Infection in total knee prosthesis, a severe complication that can occur despite all precautions, requires vigilance before, during, and after surgery and highly structured patient management. In our study, we compared and evaluated the clinical, radiological, and laboratory results of debridement, revision, and arthrodesis provided to patients who developed infection after total knee arthroplasty between June 2000 and January 2005 in the Ministry of Health Ankara Diskapi Training and Research Hospital. Although 44 such patients were identified from the records in that 5-year period, some could not be contacted, and some had not completed treatment, which left the 32 knees of 32 patients eligible for analysis. Of them, 24 had undergone revision surgery, four had undergone debridement, and four had undergone arthrodesis. Infection in total knee prosthesis is a severe complication that requires very close follow-up before, during and after surgery. The development of infection despite all precautions requires correct patient management.

Key words: Infection, total knee prosthesis, debridement, arthrodesis, revision