抄録
The rate of postoperative infection after total hip replacement in Japan is about 0.8% and that after total knee replacement is about 2.1%. These are about the same figures as in the United States and European countries. The late infection rate in Japan is 25.7% in total hip replacements and 17.6% in total knee replacements. The main causative microorganisms are Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis.
Among the many risk factors of postoperative infections of total joint replacement, we propose the importance of the toxicity of the bone cement and wear debris. This is based on our experimental data about the depressive action of methylmethacrylate monomer upon the chemiluminescence of leucocytes after phagocytosis.
