[Periprosthetic Joint Infections - An Overview].

Periprosthetic Joint Infections - An Overview Diagnostics and treatment of periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) is an interdisciplinary challenge. The key for success in the treatment of PJI is a rapid and adequate diagnostic and treatment in close cooperation between the general practitioner (GP), a specialised orthopaedic surgeon and an infectious disease specialist (ID). Acute PJI mostly occur peri- and early postoperative but can occur also lifelong due to haematogenous / lymphogenic seeding of the germs on the prosthesis. Both situations must be considered as an emergency scenario and patients should be transferred to the operating surgeon or even in a specialised centre for further diagnostics and treatment immediately. An acute infection (either < 4 weeks after implantation or < 3 weeks after the onset of symptoms with haematogenous / lymphogenic seeding) can frequently be cured by debridement, antibiotics and implant retention (DAIR) and should be the favoured approach in this scenario. In chronic PJI an interdisciplinary approach with complete exchange of the implant combined with an elaborated antibiotic therapy is always needed. Optimised and targeted diagnostic as well as an interdisciplinary planning of the treatment are mandatory for curing the infection, therefore patients with chronic PJI should be referred to a specialised centre. Surgery alone without adequate antibiotic therapy will mostly result in failure to cure PJI, same is true for exclusive antibiotic therapy without an adequate surgical procedure.