title: Joint replacement in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients are at risk for bacterial and opportunistic infections with worsening immunosuppression.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2000 to January 2009, six patients who were diagnosed with HIV infection underwent 10 joint replacement procedures, including six total hip arthroplasties, two total knee arthroplasties, and one shoulder hemiarthroplasty. An ordinary dose of postsurgical-empirical antibiotics was prescribed, with an average follow-up period of 38.6 months. All prostheses of total knee arthroplasty and shoulder hemiarthroplasty were fixed with vancomycin-impregnated bone cement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of postoperative infection for HIV infected patients is supposed to be higher than for HIV negative patients. However, in our institution, there have been no HIV- positive patients who have suffered postoperative infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV-positive patients can have excellent outcomes after undergoing various arthroplastic surgeries. This revelation, coupled with the advances in antiviral therapy that have helped to lengthen HIV patient lifespans, strongly suggests that these patients should receive arthroplastic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Ta-I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Cheng-Fong
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei-Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chao-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Ching-Kuei
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chien-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tain-Hsiung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications