Surgical Case Order Has an Effect on the Risk of Subsequent Periprosthetic Joint Infection

BACKGROUND

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is a serious complication with multiple etiologies. Prior spine literature has shown that later cases in the day were more likely to develop surgical site infection. However, the effect of case order on PJI after TJA is unknown. This study aims to determine the influence of case order, prior infected case, and terminal cleaning on the risk for a subsequent PJI.

METHODS

A retrospective, single-institution study was conducted on 31,499 TJAs performed from 2000 to 2014. Case order was determined by case start times per date within the same operating room. PJI was defined by the Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for a subsequent PJI.

RESULTS

Noninfected cases followed an infected case in 92 of 31,499 cases (0.29%) and were more likely to develop PJI (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.43; P = .029). However, terminal cleaning after infected cases did not affect the risk for PJI in cases the following morning (OR, 1.42; P = .066). Case order had an OR of 0.98 (P = .655), implying that later cases did not have a higher likelihood of infection.

CONCLUSION

Although surgical case order is not an independent risk factor for subsequent PJI, TJA cases following an infected case in the same room on the same day have a higher infection risk. Despite improved sterile technique and clean air operating rooms, the risk of contaminating a TJA with pathogens from a prior infected case appears to be high. Terminal cleaning appears to be effective in reducing the bioburden in the operating room.

Bacterial contaminants and antibiotic prophylaxis in total hip arthroplasty

We have investigated the contaminating bacteria in primary hip arthroplasty and their sensitivity to the prophylactic antibiotics currently in use. Impressions (627) of the gloved hands of the surgical team in 50 total hip arthroplasties were obtained on blood agar. The gloves were changed after draping, at intervals of 20 minutes thereafter, and before using cement. Changes were also undertaken whenever a visible puncture was detected. The culture plates were incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. Isolates were identified and tested for sensitivity to flucloxacillin, which is a recognised indicator of sensitivity to cefuroxime. They were also tested against other agents depending upon their appearance on Gram staining.

We found contamination in 57 (9%) impressions and 106 bacterial isolates. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were seen most frequently (68.9%), but we also isolated Micrococcus (12.3%), diphtheroids (9.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (6.6%) and Escherichia coli (0.9%). Of the coagulase-negative staphylococci, only 52.1% were sensitive to flucloxacillin and therefore to cefuroxime. We believe that it is now appropriate to review the relevance of prophylaxis with cefuroxime and to consider the use of other agents.

Use of light handles in the laminar flow operating theatre--is it a cause of bacterial concern?

Airborne bacteria introduced during routine joint replacement surgery are known to be an important source of joint sepsis with disastrous results. Recently, Robinson et al. [Robinson AHN, Bentley G, Drew S, Anderson J, Ridgway GL. Suction tip contamination in the ultraclean air operating theatre. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 1993; 75: 254-6] have demonstrated that the conventional surgical sucker forms a focus for airborne pathogens which results in septic loosening of hip prostheses. Similarly, the potential contamination of theatre light handles, commonly used during total hip and knee replacements, gives cause for concern. To assess if there was any evidence of contamination, we cultured bacterial swabs taken from the light handles before and after 15 such procedures, all of which were held in a conventional orthopaedic operating theatre. Fortunately, our study found no reason to stop the use of light handles in joint replacement operations.

Relation between mouth and haematogenous infection in total joint replacements

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the source of infections associated with orthopaedic prostheses.

DESIGN

Analysis of four infections of prosthetic joints with case records; minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations and sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the cell wall polypeptides of the Streptococcus sanguis isolates from the mouth and infected prostheses; examination of the patients' mouths for periodontal disease and caries.

SUBJECTS

Four adults (three men) aged 58-83.

RESULTS

For each patient the strain of S sanguis isolated from the mouth was indistinguishable from that isolated from the prosthesis. All patients had severe periodontal disease and caries.

CONCLUSIONS

The mouth was probably the source of bacterial infection in the prosthetic joints of these patients; the route of infection was possibly haematogenous. Incipient oral infection should be treated before joint replacement, and oral health should be maintained indefinitely.

Analysis of nosocomial outbreaks with multiply and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Germany: implications for hospital hygiene

Two outbreaks of nosocomial infections with MRSA, one in a urological unit in connection with transurethral prostatectomy and the other in an orthopaedic clinic with infections after implantation of prosthetic hips, have been analyzed on the basis of typing MRSA by phage-patterns, plasmid profiles and genomic DNA fragment patterns. Main reasons for these outbreaks were obviously mistakes in hospital hygiene and an inappropriate antibiotic prophylaxis (in the first outbreak a quinolone over about 7 days, in the second a third generation cephalosporin). Both outbreaks could be stopped by measures of hospital hygiene including isolated or cohort nursing of affected patients, and change in antibiotic prophylaxis. Intensive care units (ICUs) are more often affected by MRSA than other clinical settings. As described by the example of an outbreak with MRSA in a municipal hospital, ICUs can play a special role in intrahospital spread of MRSA. The recently observed inter-regional clonal interhospital dissemination of MRSA in Germany is mainly due to a transfer of patients between hospitals; prewarning of the hospital of destination and a number of hygiene measures can prevent further spread.