Results Of Two-Stage Reimplantation In Patients With Periprosthetic Joint Infection After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Treatment of chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is connected with high reinfection rate and financial costs. Two stage reimplantation with the use of dynamic and static spacers on the first stage is an effective treatment algorithm of such complication.Purpose of the study -to evaluate the influence of a spacer type on infection eradication and intraoperative features of two-stage surgical treatment in patients with PJI after TKA.Material and methods. From year 2007 to 2015 161 patients with PJI were treated: 80 patients with dynamic spacers and 81 -with static spacers. The mean follow up period was 65 months (95% CI: 12-91). The mean age was 62 years (95% CI: 30-84). The outcomes included analysis of infection eradication effectiveness and intraoperative features (operation time, blood loss, type of implant). We excluded 57 patients with severe bone defects (AORI 2B, 3), reinfection after the first stage and, finally, analyzed 104 patients with appropriate including criteria.Results. Effectiveness of the first stage was 70,1%. The second stage demonstrated 90,1% effectiveness. There was statistically lower reinfection rate after the first stage in patients treated with dynamic spacer 88,1%, compared with 59.1% in patients with static spacers. The mean period between stages was 196 days. Sanation surgery with further implantation of dynamic spacer was followed by statistically (p< 0,02) lower blood loss -522.6 ml (95% CI: 150-1300), compared with static spacers -727.8 ml (698,1 ml (95% CI; 300-1600), but the operation time was comparable (p = 0.8): 140.2 (95% CI; 75-240). 142.9 min (95% CI: 85-210) respectively. Revision knee arthroplasty after static spacer was followed by frequent (.< 0.05) use of extended surgical approach, constrained implants (p< 0,05) and long operation time (p< 0.02) compared with dynamic constructions.Conclusion. Two stage reimplantation with the use of dynamic spacers provides better infection control, knee function between stages, less traumatic sanation and revision knee arthroplasty. Inability to comply recommended interval between stages, due to specifics of financing, makes the implantation of dynamic spacers in patients with PJI on the first stage more preferable.