Infection is one of the most severe complications of total knee prosthesis implantation. The present study reported the case of a 74-year-old female that developed a Staphylococcus epidermidis infection following a cemented total knee arthroplasty. A routine blood test revealed neutropenia and anemia, while S. epidermidis was detected in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. In the present case, S. epidermidis infection led to acute arrest of hematopoiesis (AAH), also known as aplastic crisis, which is the temporary cessation of red cell production. The development of AAH secondary to S. epidermidis infection is rare and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the literature. The present study increased our knowledge of this rare disease and its characteristics, which will enable physicians to be aware of the development of AAH as a rare complication of S. epidermidis infection.
Keywords: Staphylococcus epidermidis; infection; total knee arthroplasty.