Abstract
The main causes of infection after total joint replacement are considered to be wound contamination during surgery and haematogenous dissemination. However, higher incidence rates are found in cases with previous surgery failure or with a history of repeated Intraarticular injections.
The results of bacteriological examination were retrospectively studied in 100 consecutive knees in 76 patients who underwent knee joint replacement. Indigenous bacteria was isolated in 13 of 100 knees. Propionibacterium acnes was the most prominent organism. All 13 of the knees had histories of repeated intraarticular injections.
Clinical and roentgenographical data should be meticulously checked to exclude potential infection cases before total joint replacement. Culturing of synovial homogenate taken at the time of surgery was confirmed to be useful for detecting latent joint infection. Pathological examination should be also routinely carried out to check for the existence of microabscess.
