The diagnosis and treatment of periprosthetic joint infections is a difficult situation for the attending physician. From the extensive literature, algorithms for diagnosis and therapy can be created. The aim of this study was to collect a representative survey of current concepts in the Federal States of the former West Germany and to compare them with those in the current literature. In 2011 orthopaedic and trauma clinics were surveyed anonymously in western Germany about diagnosis and treatment of periprosthetic infections. 450 questionnaires could be evaluated. Septic hip arthroplasty revisions were performed on average 12 (± 20)/year, septic knee arthroplasty revisions were performed on average 9 (± 17)/year. On average 205 (± 178) primary hip and 167 (± 155) primary knee arthroplasties were implanted/year. The analysis of the collected parameters is summarised in three tables. In the field of diagnostics, parameters such as CRP are determined. The interpretation, however, differs in more than 50 % of the hospitals on the relevant literature. Some important diagnostic parameters are not used. Therapy concepts are largely consistent with the literature. To a non-negligible extent, the vacuum-assisted therapy (approximately 30 % of hospitals) is used. In the literature it is described only for early infection. But even for use in early infection, there are very few data available. A unified diagnostic algorithm would be desirable.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.