title: [Haematogenous infection of a prosthetic joint].
abstract: Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a major complication after total joint arthroplasty. The most common source of these PJIs is a wound infection immediately after implantation of the artificial joint; however, haematogenous infection is also a common source of PJIs. We describe 3 patients, all suffering from (rheumatoid) arthritis, who presented at the emergency department with a wound on the foot or ankle and a swollen and painful prosthetic knee joint, which was functioning well for a long period of time (6 months to 5 years). All patients had several debridements of their infected total knee arthroplasty with local and systemic antibiotics. Patient outcome was widely diverse: from death to successful treatment. These case descriptions are good examples of the different outcomes from a major complication after a small wound. Care should be taken particularly for wounds around the foot and ankle in patients with a total joint arthroplasty, especially those who also have diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or are immunocompromised.
authors.affiliation: Afd. Orthopedie, Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum, Leiden, the Netherlands. h.j.l.van_der_heide@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Huub J L
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: van der Heide
authors.forename: H M J Enrike
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: van der Linden
authors.forename: Tom W J
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Huizinga
authors.forename: Leo G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000601:surgery; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D003646:Debridement; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents