Surgical Management of Prosthetic Joint Infection

A definitive diagnosis can be made if the same organism is obtained by repeat aspirations or at least three of five peri prosthatic specimens obtained at surgery. Inter operative frozen section has a sensitivityo 85 % and a specificity of 90 to 95%. No that greater than five poly morpho nuclear cells per high powered field times five high powered fields, is probable for infection. An intera operative frozen section is indicated in equivocal cases with elevated e s r and c r p, or suspicion for infection. A two stage replacementar plaste is indicated as the gold standard for an infected joint of greater than four weeks after arthroplaste.